Thy Black is the Fairest

A circular portrait painting measuring 40cm in diameter of a woman in earth tones and a splash effect background. it is in shades of greens, black and brown.   There is also silver metallic paint which catches the light beautifully.

It is inspired by  William Shakespeare’s Dark Lady Sonnets 127-154.      Shakespeare describes a woman who is dark skinned which was not the usual standard of beauty at the time.   It is speculated that she may have been of Mediterranean descent.  Jedidah really enjoyed the colour combinations here as well using spray paint and a splash effect.

CXXVII
In the old age black was not counted fair,
Or if it were, it bore not beauty’s name;
But now is black beauty’s successive heir,
And beauty slandered with a bastard shame:
For since each hand hath put on Nature’s power,
Fairing the foul with Art’s false borrowed face,
Sweet beauty hath no name, no holy bower,
But is profaned, if not lives in disgrace.
Therefore my mistress’ eyes are raven black,
Her eyes so suited, and they mourners seem
At such who, not born fair, no beauty lack,
Sland’ring creation with a false esteem:
Yet so they mourn becoming of their woe,
That every tongue says beauty should look so.

CXXXI

Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art,
As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel;
For well thou know’st to my dear doting heart
Thou art the fairest and most precious jewel.
Yet, in good faith, some say that thee behold,
Thy face hath not the power to make love groan;
To say they err I dare not be so bold,
Although I swear it to myself alone.
And to be sure that is not false I swear,
A thousand groans, but thinking on thy face,
One on another’s neck, do witness bear
Thy black is fairest in my judgment’s place.
In nothing art thou black save in thy deeds,
And thence this slander, as I think, proceeds.

The painting is dated and comes signed on the front and back and has a certificate of authenticity.