Horse Kiss Toile

Year: 2004
Medium: Oil and acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 60H x 72W in
Original Artwork Price: $12,000

"This painting was inspired by French Toile de Jouy, Countess Consuelo Crespi, and my longing for romance. French Toile de Jouy is a cotton fabric popularized in 18th and 19th century France, printed in one color, often depicting bucolic scenes and pastoral life in a repeating pattern. I was introduced to "toile" by Countess Consuelo Crespi, who I had the pleasure of working for when I was in my early twenties. Consuelo, who had been the editor of Italian Vogue and a prominent socialite, was an incredible woman to know. She always made me feel special being around her, because she was truly glamorous. It felt like I was living in a NYC fairytale, when she would greet me at her upper east side apartment door saying in her sophisticated voice, "Hello, darling." Consuelo gave me her old toile china, bowls and plates, which were red on an antique white. This red from the china Consuelo gave me is the color red I mixed to create my "Horse Kiss Toile". At that time in my life I was longing for romance, and so I lived a bit vicariously through my art, drawing my horse figurines absorbed in an idyllic kiss under the cover of woods." -Melodie Provenzano