Divine Protection 1981

Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid made this painting, Divine Protection, with oil on board. The way the paint is applied is so flat and graphic, it almost feels like a poster. I can imagine Zeid carefully layering those vibrant blocks of colour – reds, oranges, blues – building this regal figure piece by piece. The patterns on her dress are wild! Each triangle and diamond must have been painted with precision. I wonder if she was listening to music when she made it? The woman's intense stare makes me wonder what Zeid was thinking, maybe about her own family history, or maybe she's conjuring up a symbol of maternal strength and resilience. The doll is pretty creepy, and not exactly in the same style, but, like all paintings, it reveals as much as it conceals. It reminds me of Matisse's decorative interiors, but with an extra dose of personal storytelling. These artists are all in dialogue, after all, and what they give to us is for us to take and respond to.