NEW YORK
2019
17th century portrait miniature painted on copper, in a brass frame; sheep fleece and wooden mount.
17″ wide x 19″ high

A European nobleman wearing his armor, a powdered wig, and a look of weary hauteur is being undermined by a crown of unwashed sheep fleece. The fleece is matted with lanolin and holds flecks of grass and other organic matter in its curls.

In 18th century English and French gardens, a folly was a faux building, such as a Roman temple or a ruined abbey, evoking another time and place, often symbolizing Classical virtues. Ours is a contemporary take on the folly, creating the illusion of the wild world overtaking the civilized and allowing for a new ideal of beauty.

All parts of this decorative work are unique and were assembled by hand, by Cordelia Lawton and Patrick Mull, in their Long Island City design studio.