A sleeper curled at the centre of an unfolding white rose

A nude figure lies curled with knees drawn up and head bowed onto her arm, asleep or newly born, at the centre of a great spiral of cream and ivory drapery that winds around her like the petals of an opening rose. The light comes from within the spiral, warming to gold behind her shoulders; the ground beyond is a flat olive green. Vedder painted it in Rome in 1891 and inscribed it with his name and the city. It is the gentlest thing he ever made, and the most complete — the whole picture is one closed form.

Elihu Vedder (1836–1923) was an American painter who settled in Rome and stayed for half a century, producing sphinxes, sibyls and cosmic allegories at a time when his countrymen were painting landscapes. His illustrations to the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám were a publishing sensation in 1884, and his murals still line the Library of Congress.

Printed as a museum-grade giclée on Hahnemühle fine art paper using 12-ink archival pigment printing. Available handframed in FSC-certified wood with optional float glass, or unframed. Ships worldwide with free delivery to 30+ countries.