Madame Rose | Original Painting

Title: Madame Rose (2023)
Medium: Oil Pastel on Stretched Canvas
Size: 40 cm x 30 cm
Artist: Sadia Verneuil

Madame Rose is a poetic reflection on identity, heritage, and feminine grace ; a visual homage to Saint Lucia, my island home, affectionately known as “Fair Helen.” Created with rich layers of oil pastel, this piece celebrates both the spirit of the land and the women who embody its beauty and resilience.

The central figure, a serene woman dressed in traditional Saint Lucian national wear, holds a rose close to her face; a symbol deeply tied to the island’s cultural and natural heritage, as the rose is one of Saint Lucia’s national flowers. Her calm yet powerful presence evokes a sense of pride and reverence, linking her to the island itself: nurturing, radiant, and enduring.

The soft blending of colors captures the warmth of Caribbean light, while the expressive strokes bring life and movement to the composition. The rose becomes more than a flower; it is an emblem of identity, love, and belonging, representing both the fragility and strength of womanhood.

Madame Rose invites the viewer to see “Fair Helen” not merely as a romanticized muse of history, but as a living, breathing embodiment of Saint Lucia’s beauty and strength; a tribute to the women who continue to shape and inspire the island’s story.