Muses

Three women in ornate gowns are grouped before a dense arrangement of roses, lilies and blooms. At left, a woman in gold brocade with a jeweled belt sits beside a peacock and a black panther; at right, two women in teal and coral lean together, one holding a fan and a small birdcage with a bird inside, while parrots and birds fill the greenery around a bowl of fruit at center.

The palette is saturated and jewel-toned, rich pinks, golds and teals built up with tight, detailed brushwork that renders every petal, feather and embroidered pattern with equal precision, flattening the whole into a dense decorative tapestry. The effect is opulent and theatrical, almost heraldic in its symmetry and abundance.