The Trophy (2021)Acrylic painting by Kasia Januszkiewicz

"The Trophy" - A hypnotic, symbolic portrait suspended between beauty and unease. The central figure—dressed in a sumptuous emerald gown reminiscent of Renaissance silhouettes—wears a horned skull in place of a face. This surreal gesture transforms the painting into a layered narrative about nature, power, mortality, and the illusion of possession.

Lush, deep green foliage forms a dense, almost suffocating backdrop from which the figure quietly emerges. The striking contrast between the cool tonalities of green and the intense red of the apple draws the viewer’s eye—turning the fruit into a potent symbol of temptation, choice, reward, or guilt. What initially appears to be a triumph—the “trophy”—reveals a more contemplative, existential undertone when confronted with the presence of the skull.

The work merges the aesthetics of classical portraiture with a darker contemporary surrealism. Carefully rendered textile details, dramatic light modeling, and the ornamental richness of the botanical background create an atmosphere of mystery and tension.

This piece speaks to collectors who appreciate symbolic, thought-provoking art with a slightly unsettling edge. It would serve as a striking focal point in an interior—an artwork that captures attention and invites conversation.

Materials used:

acrylic on canvas,covered with varnish

Details:

• Acrylic painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 94 x 124 x 4cm (framed) / 1 x 1cm (actual image size)
• Framed and ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Surrealistic
• Subject: People and portraits