Inspired by Frederic Leighton’s 1859 oil painting Pavonia, this portrait meets the viewer with a quiet, steady defiance — well beyond the era’s demure ideal. Digitally refreshed for greater vitality, she stands before yellow floral wallpaper that nods to late-19th-century Japonisme; a miniature half-moon table, doubled in a mirror, playfully expands the space.

A necklace segment of semiprecious stones, Murano glass, and freshwater pearls in spring green, coral, and yellow drapes elegantly, echoing the wallpaper and the clay roses and irises. A single feather above the frame recalls the original painting’s peacock motif.

Polished yet pointed, this domestic vignette invites viewers to reconsider the roles assigned to women in art history — and today.

Materials: Murano glass, freshwater pearls, citrine, peridot, clay flowers, fabric, dollhouse miniatures, acrylic paint, paper, wood, mirror, feather

Framing: Custom shadow box with museum glass, deep gold wooden frame, in collaboration with Chevy Chase Art Gallery, Washington, DC.