The Carnation, 2023

Mention of Carnation, or Dianthus, dates back to the ancient Greeks. In fact, a famous Greek botanist, Aristotle’s student, Theophrastus, coined the name of this species. It comes from the ancient Greek words for divine ("dios") and flower ("anthos"). The name "carnation" is believed to come from the Latin corona-ae, a "wreath, garland, chaplet, crown," as it was one of the flowers used in Greek and Roman ceremonial crowns. The artist pays tribute to the majestic history of this flower by depicting the carnation as an elegant and dignified lady, deserving to be put on a pedestal.