oil on canvas / 180 x 180 cm

2026

Richard Somonte

Carnations have long been one of the most emblematic elements of Madrid’s traditional folklore, associated with popular celebration, sensuality, and Spanish cultural identity. In Seven Carnations and Kuniyoshi, Richard Somonte brings this symbol into a visual universe deeply influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, a tradition the painter is currently collecting and studying extensively during this stage of his artistic practice.

The painting proposes a convergence between Spanish tradition and the imagery of Japanese ukiyo-e, particularly through the influence of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, renowned for his dramatic compositions and symbolic atmospheres. The ornamental presence of the carnations coexists with subtle references to Japanese erotic painting, approached not through explicit representation, but through gesture, intimacy, and poetic tension.