he loves me

he loves me not

he loves me

loves me not

loves me

....

 

The portrait depicts a young girl, reclining on her pink ruffled dress, looking at the viewer with a melancholic, dreamy gaze. It was commissioned by the girl's family and is the painters first portrait in oil. From the dress, a silk chiffon gown from the Valentino Spring/Summer 2017 Collection, to the composition and the 19th century frame everything was chosen and put together by the artist himself.

It serves as an example for his approach to portraiture as a purely artistic one. The little daisy with her ripped petals was added in the later stage of the process. Following the popular game played by lovers to find out their object of affection's true inclination towards them they are scattered over her dress. As no hints are given it is up to viewer to decide whether he loves her, or loves her not... and how to interpret her apathatic gaze.