The story behind the artwork
A modern, limited edition print created in 2019. Inspired by its frame tale, Aesop’s The Fox and the Stork, which sets the stage for a second narrative illustrating intricate details from the fertile history of the great city of London. Its contemporary style and emblazoned flora and fauna belie the artistic precision with which the tree has been festooned.
But close inspection reveals historical nods sprouting from every arching branch of the tree. A stag is wrapped around with Savile Row tailors’ tape complementing a neckerchief of Harris tweed. A horse jumps through one of the Queen’s rings, saluting a monarch who knows all of her horses by name. Brown’s Hotel on Albemarle Street and the Kipling Suite wherein Kipling penned The Jungle Book. 1816, the date when a gas lamp first lit up a London stage. A London Goose balances Fortnum and Mason hampers upon its back. Green Park deckchairs herald a fine, dry day ahead. A Twinings teacup born of the 300 year old flagship store on The Strand. Two Tower of London wing-clipped crows, unable to fly from the tower lest bad luck should unfold. The Penny Black, the world’s first adhesive postage stamp. Charlie Chaplin’s top hat and fiddle. Emblems – London’s dragon, the Maritime Museum Greenwich and more. Much more.
The Fox and the Stork, Aesop’s Fable:
A fox invites a stork to dine with him. Fox serves soup in a shallow bowl which he laps up easily but stork cannot sup from the bowl with its pointed beak. Stork does not reveal this frustration but instead invites fox to dine with him. Stork serves meat in a long, narrow-necked vessel which he eats from easily but fox cannot eat at all. The moral? A trickster must expect trickery in return so only do to others as you would have them do to you.
Nature has always been really important to Kristjana. Icelandic nature can be stark and unforgiving with a muted yet very rich extraordinary palette of colours including blacks, whites and greys which Kristjana now appreciates, lends it a unique and mesmeric beauty. The landscape is sparse with trees or bushes only growing in a few locations. Reactively, Kristjana takes great inspiration from the towering scale of trees and the vibrancy of flora and fauna from more temperate climates. Kristjana enjoys playing with colours in her work; the elements of colour in nature bring her pieces to life.
Artwork details
Printed in our studio in London on Matt Smooth Fine Art Cotton 300 gsm, using giclée inks to ensure you are able to enjoy your print for years to come. All prints come with a physical Certificate of Authenticity.
Edition of 225, signed and numbered by the artist.
Print sizes:
M - 59.4 cm x 83.5 cm
L - 84.1 cm x 118.2 cm
XL - 106.7 cm x 150 cm
Our prints are professionally cut by hand in our studio, therefore sizes can vary by mm.
All Limited Edition prints come unframed.
Delivery & Returns
We offer free worldwide delivery on all Limited Edition prints orders.
Limited Edition prints are delivered within 3-5 working days
For information on our returns policy click here.