Therefore behold I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her. Hosea 2:14
Paintings on the history, exile and persecution of the hugenotes and the jewish people.
The story behind the paintings
Esprit Séguier
Esprit Séguier | 90 x 140 cm | 2020 | oil on canvas
Pierre Séguier, known as Esprit Séguier, was born around 1650 in the Cevennes. He was a renowned Camisard leader who led the Huguenot uprising against the Catholic army of the Sun King, Louis XIV. He was captured on Saturday, 12th August 1702. He appeared calm and proud before the judges and responded only with biblical passages, which I have painted onto the canvas.
What is your name? — Pierre Séguier.
Why do they call you Spirit? — Because the Spirit of God is in me. Where do you live? — In the wilderness, and soon in heaven.
Ask the King for forgiveness! — We have no King but the Eternal One!
Do you at least regret your crimes? — My soul is a garden full of shadow and fountains.
He was sentenced to be burned at the stake in Pont-de-Montvert. His wrist was cut. Once on the pyre, Esprit Séguier spoke calmly and with dignity to the people: “Brothers! Wait and have hope in the Eternal One! Forsaken Carmel will come to life, and lonely Lebanon will bloom like a rose.”
Bring them home now
Bring them home now | 90 x 110 cm | 2024 | mix media
A map and a partly destroyed flag, found by a friend on the site where the Supernova music festival was transformed into a bloodbath on 7 October 2023.
I stuck the map onto the canvas, and draped the flag in such a way that it appeared to be the tears of the Jewish people, collected in six pots. These pots refer to the Jewish wedding at Cana, where the Messiah performed his first miracle and changed the water into wine. ‘Bring them home now!’ the canvas reads.