Illuminated

I choose to use the term "illuminated" for my botanical perfume brand for a variety of reasons. Some of you may have already heard, this story in some form or other. This post is for those who may not have heard the tale as of it.

It all started way back in August 2003 while I was juggling working as an illustrator, practicing and teaching aromatherapy and learning how to create pure fumes with essential oils. At the time I was reading quite a lot about the history of fragrance, specifically in Egypt , inspired by attending a class in Malibu with John Steele.

The three week long workshop took place in a small Austrian village, high up in the Alps, called Reichenau. The workshop, taught by artist Phillip Rubinov Jacobson, was titled Old Masters, New Visions. It centered on learning the secret, ancient painting technique called Mishe that had been resurrected by the visionary painter Ernst Fuchs. You can read more in depth on the subject here at the journal.

During the first week of the intensive we learned the history of the technique stemming from 14th and 15th century when artisans within the guilds of painting and alchemy shared their wisdom with each other.  I became aware of the sacred triad that existed between art, perfumery and alchemy. The unifying component within this triad being the prima materia, plants! Thus, the term "illuminated" as in illuminated manuscripts and the aspect of bringing to light the beauty of plant matter in pure fume popped into my head like a lighting bolt. It also was made clear that Greg's imagery would be perfect for the brand since he has a very old world, romantic quality to his work...besides the convenience of him being my partner.

Here are a few of the "illuminations" that Greg created to accompany my pure fumes, 

some of these are details of the larger pieces. We collaborated on many of them while others were

existing pieces which he refined or adjusted. Find prints for sale here on his site.

All images are copyrighted, please respect the artist.

Q for the oak

Lyra

Sierra

Aurora

Mellifera

Figure 1; Noir

Figure 5: Bois

La Dame Blanche

Fleurish

and my favorite...Chiaroscuro

There are a few more which I'll include shortly.

How to Make a Carrot Rosehip Salve

Today, on this blessed Venus Day, we celebrate the root vegetable: carrot. For Jade Shutes 21 Days, 21 Recipes she shares Carrot Rosehip Salve which relates to this post here at the journal Perfume Illuminated: Carrot.

How to Make a Coffee Scrub

Jade Shutes, my aromatherapy teacher, has been doing a series titled 21 days: 21 Recipes and Remedies. I'm here to share with each of you and tag along.

For Day 10 Jade posted how to make an absolutely delicious sounding Coffee scrub that contains infusions of vanilla. Here is the link to my related Perfume Illuminated: Coffee post from a series a done a few years ago here at the journal. I thought I'd offer a class on this at the perfumery so we can all make some handmade, vital plant holiday gifts together. Sound good?

Perfume Illuminated: Herbes de Provence

When I was a child my mother worked for a boutique in Beverly Hills. On occasion she would travel to Paris for some of her clients, if I was really lucky I went with her, if not she would always bring back wonderful treats. The treats ranged from perfume, cheese, maron glace and cooking herbs.

The cooking herbs were usually Bouquet Garni, which translates as "garnish bouquet" in French. The mix usually contains parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Depending on the region and different makers there may also be basil, burnet, chervil, rosemary, peppercorns, savory and tarragon in the blend.

My favorite herb mix from France is Herbes de Provence which is generally a combination of the following herbs: savory, fennel, basil, thyme, sage, marjoram, oregano and lavender blossoms. When I make it here at home I use: thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender and oregano. I sprinkle it on a chicken for roasting along with fresh garlic and butter. The blend works well for a variety of dishes including grilled vegetables and stews.

FRAGRANCE

The herbs used to make an Herbes de Provence culinary blend are also distilled as essential oils used in aromatherapy and natural perfume. I associate these mostly with aromatherapy because that was my gateway into the healing world of plant medicine. 

Lavender

There's a few things I've learned in life:
always throw salt over your left shoulder,
keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck,
and fall in love whenever you can.
~ Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic )

The word lavender comes from the Latin "Lavare" meaning to wash. The herb has a very rich presence in literature and is used widely in medicinal preparations, culinary delights and cosmetic preparations. The essential oil of lavender is derived from the distillation of the flowering tops of Lavandula officinalis, also referred to as Lavandula angustifolia/vera.

The aroma of lavender essential oil is considered herbaceous, fruity and sweet depending on the variety and type of extraction. In many circles it is deemed "floral", which may or may not be present...again depends on the variety. More appropriate terminology could be an herbaceous floral character. For use in aromatherapy synergies it is considered the universal oil and used extensively in almost all types of dis-ease. Its chemistry is rich in the ester: linalyl acetate the alcohol: linalol and sesquiterpenes.

In perfume lavender essential oil tends to be classified as a top to middle note. Where as the absolute is considered a base note. In perfume we find the lavender note used in Lavender Eau de Colognes and the category of fragrance deemed Fougere, meaning fern in French. Fougere perfumes feature the combination of oakmoss with lavender.

As a botanical and natural perfumer I use Lavender as a bridge note. It is not an essence I use regularly, unless it is for a specific perfume like Vera or a custom perfume. In aromatherapy synergies and blends I use it in almost every single preparation.

Note: This information on Lavender has been gathered from another post here at the journal, if you would like to read more here is the link to satisfy your craving. 

Sage, here is the link to the Perfume Illuminated post on Sage.

Thyme

There are many different varieties of thyme used in aromatherapy and natural perfume. One of my all time favorites is Thyme geraniol, which has a geranium note. In aromatherapy we use thyme mostly in blends for One of my very first aromatherapy blends when I took the live hours class with Jade Shutes was a blend I made for Will Power. It included: Thyme, Elemi and Juniper. 

Basil

Known as Ocimum basilicum, this hardy and very popular herb is ruled by Mars. The annual produces fragrant leaves and flowers. There are many varieties of Basil essential oil and depending where it is grown will determine differing chemical constituents. Thus, you may have a Basil that is high in linalol or one that has more camphor or methyl chavicol or a combination. The aromatic profile tend to be sweet, herbaceous, spicy and fresh. In aromatherapy it works on several systems of the body, I tend to use it in headache blends as it is a great analgesic, stimulating and clearing to the mind.

Fennel

The fennel we use in aromatherapy is Foeniculum vulgare P. Mill var. dulce which also goes by the names Fenkel, Wild Fennel and Sweet Fennel.It was the Romans who gave fennel its name Foeniculum from the Latin word Foeniculum meaning hay.1 Fennel essential oil is distilled from the seeds and is most commonly used in blends for digestion, circulation and the endocrine system. One of the keywords associated with this oil is balance.

A few nights ago as I was drooling over pictures of the french country side on Pinterest my daughter asked if we had any Herbes de Provence. The synergy of the question with the visual imagery made me begin contemplating an Herbes de Provence perfume, which in turn inspired today's Perfume Illuminated contribution.

Thus, my perfume will focus mainly on lavender, thyme, sage with a bit of fennel, basil, oregano and savory. These are all middle notes. For the base I'm thinking woods, cistus, beeswax absolute and olive fruit or leaf. I'm thinking citrus for the top notes, probably citron. We will see where the journey takes us! I definitely don't want to repeat Vera (thus no oakmoss or very little) and I don't want to make something that is overly medicinal, although odd and different is okay. Let me know if there are any notes you suggest by leaving a comment here and I will send a sample off the first edition when I'm done if I choose a specific essence you have mentioned that is different from what I have already listed.

From the Silver Palette CookBook: "If fresh herbs are plentiful, use them in bouquets around the house; their dark green or gray leaves are beautiful with flowers. Make an edible centerpiece of such herbs as basil, dill and mint: wash fresh herbs, shake dry, and arrange with salad greens in a bowl of crushed ice."

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring
Please continue reading about Herbes de Provence at the Windesphere Witch blog

Catch up on all the Perfume Illuminated posts at this link. 

1 Jade Shutes, Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers, Pearson/Prentice Hall, New Jersey, Chapter Thirteen, p.297

Top image found via Pinterest with no reference to the creator, other images by or digitally enhanced by Roxana Villa

Perfume Illuminated Collected Works

All the links to the Perfume Illuminated project posts have been collected here, beginning with the post that introduces the series:

Perfume Illuminated, Day 1
Definition: Tincture
Entropy
Perfume Illuminated: Violet
Perfume Illuminated: Birch
Perfume Illuminated: Lemon
Tea for Two
Perfume Illuminated: Aphrodisiacs
Perfume Illuminated: Chocolate, Wine and Roses
Perfume Illuminated: Tiger
Perfume Illuminated: Cannabis
Perfume Illuminated: Sage
Perfume Illuminated: Seaweed
Perfume Illuminated: Raspberry
Perfume Illuminated: Marzipan
Perfume Illuminated: Pepper
Perfume Illuminated: Dandelion
Perfume Illuminated: Earth
Perfume Illuminated: Fire and Smoke
Perfume Illuminated: Carrot
Perfume Illuminated: Mimosa
Perfume Illuminated: Nasturtiums
Perfume Illuminated: Sweet Peas
Perfume Illuminated: Butter
Perfume Illuminated: The Mead Moon
Perfume Illuminated: Cilantro
Perfume Illuminated: Duets
Perfume Illuminated: Lime
Perfume Illuminated: Peach
Perfume Illuminated: Coffee

Perfume Illuminated: Green

"Green how I want you green. Green wind. Green branches."
~ Federico Garcia Lorca

The day officially devoted to green may have been yesterday as we celebrated Saint Patrick, but here where the plant realm reigns supreme we cherish all things green everyday. As such today we will put on our garden clogs and take a walk into the lush verdant garden. Perfume gets Illuminated in the fragrance and flavors of green.

For 'tis green, green, green, where the ruined towers are gray,
And it's green, green, green, all the happy night and day;
Green of leaf and green of sod, green of ivy on the wall,
And the blessed Irish shamrock with the fairest green of all.
~Mary Elizabeth Blake

FRAGRANCE

The greenest note in my palette is Galbanum in all its various manifestations. Obtained from the resinous gums of the Ferula family this very green aromatic us available to the natural perfumer in the format of an essential oil, a C02 extract and an absolute. Each manifestation of this essence has its own unique expression of green. The essential oil contains the freshest quality of fragrance with the viscous resinoid moving further from the green spectrum into earthy, balsamic notes.

I've noticed that in general people aren't fond of the note on its own but tend to appreciate it immensely when it is well blended in a perfume formula. For the natural perfume the aromatic is extremely valuable for it's fixative qualities to add that elusive permanence that evades so many perfumes constructed with pure plant material. As a tenacious material this green fairy requires a skillfulness as too much can overwhelm and dominate.

In terms of color, one of the greenest of all fragrance materials is the varying conifer absolutes of Fir, Spruce and Pine. The raw material, like Galbanum resin, is viscous and somewhat tedious to work with.

Take thy plastic spade,
It is thy pencil; take thy seeds, thy plants,
They are thy colours.
~William Mason, The English Garden, 1782

The fougère family of perfumery with notable green "fern" notes was introduced using one of the very first synthesized aromatic notes, coumarin. A typical fougère fragrance contain a formula featuring lavender in the top note with oakmoss and coumarin in the base. For those of us using plant derived essences we utilize tonka bean to impart that rich coumarin note.


Here are the ingredients for a botanical Fougère perfume which I have adapted from a formula in the book Perfume of Yesterday from David Williams.

Bergamot
Lavender
Neroli
Tarragon
Geranium
Jasmine
Rose otto
Orange Flower
Clary Sage
Ylang Ylang
Accord of Amber
Birch
Oakmoss
Styrax
Patchouli
Sandalwood
Tonka Bean
Vetiver





Visually green is the color of life, nature, fertility and renewel. In film the color is very striking used profoundly in Great Expectation by Alfonso Cuarón.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.
~Hanna Rion

FLAVOR

In flavoring green is abundant in the form of fresh green leafy vegetables and herbs. As we enter the Spring now is the time to cleanse the body and prepare it, like the earth, for the abundance of the new season.

Please continue on for a more expansive journey into the flavors of Green at the Windesphere Witch blog with fellow conspirator of Perfume Illuminated Beth Schreibman Gehring.

Images: Opening illustration ©Greg Spalenka. All other images and photography by Roxana Villa.

Perfume Illuminated: Elder

In the dry, hot dessert climate of the chaparral biome a pretty white to pale yellow flower blooms in the Spring. This native dweller goes by the name Sambucus mexicana, commonly known as Mexican elderberry or Tapiro. The Elder grows all over the world in diverse conditions depending on the variety, today we highlight the genus Sambucus for our ongoing Perfume Illuminated Project.

“Your mother was a hamster and your father reeked of elderberries”
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

When I hear the word Elderberry I immediately think of delicious cough syrups that we have in the medicinal section of the pantry. The small berries grow in clusters are a terrific food source for local fauna, particularly birds. Prior to the berries, the tree produces tiny little flowers that resemble one large bloom.


Here in my local woods the native Sambucus mexicana has already started blooming in the area. We often see a plethora of the local community feasting on the plant including the cute native ground squirrels, hummingbirds, and butterflies. I haven't noticed the honey bees in there, but be more conscious this year and probably plant one of these on out lot.

While on a plant walk with my knowledgeable friend Meghan she mentioned that you can make fritters with the flowers of the native Elder. She also mentioned that the original people of this area of California, known as the Chumash, created clapper sticks made from Elderberry wood to make ceremonial musical instruments.

Since the plant that I have here outside my studio is not currently blooming I am not able to provide you with a description of the scent. I do however has a sample of a Elder Flower C02 from Bulgaria that I just recently received. This extract is from the European Sambucus nigra.

FRAGRANCE

The aroma of this essence is warm with carmel, hay and herbal notes. Other odors perceived in this extraction are: balsamic, tobacco, spice, chocolate and anise. According to Steffen Arctander there are also extractions of Sambucus nigra available to the botanical perfumer as an absolute, a concrete and an essential oil. In France the essential oil of dried Elder flower is known as " essence du surreau."

Speaking of the french, here is a snippet from Monty Python where the aroma of elderberries is used as an insult.

FLAVOR

Besides the use of Elder berries for cough syrups and the flowers for fritters the little fruits are also used o make a cooling cordial, jelly, jam, chutney and even ketchup!

Please journey over to Beth at the Windesphere Witch blog for more savory notes on the flavor of Elder.

Resources:
ElderBerry.ning.com Fabulous site for ElderBerry recipes and information.

Images: Elderberry Flower Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker, all other is ©Roxana Villa

Perfume Illuminated: Coffee

"Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good, hot black coffee. "
~ Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks

Once again we delve to the intersection of flavor and fragrance by highlighting one ingredient. For todays feature we venture into the forests of Africa to encounter a small berry with energizing affects. This red berry is the outer coating of the renown coffee seed which we call a bean. Coffee is one of the worlds most important cash crop and as a commodity compares only with oil.


The origins of the drink stem in Yemen with the roasting and brewing tradition from Arabia. In 1475 we have the first coffee house establishing itself in Constantinople. Two hundred years later coffee arrives in Venice and then onward to the Americas.

Coffea the original coffee tree native to North Africa, comes from the Rubiaceae family and is often referred to as a shrub. Coffea arabica, is the species which is most valued among aficionados of the dark liquid elixir.

FRAGRANCE: Roxana Villa

Within the palette of the natural and botanical perfumer we have a three delicious coffee extracts at our disposal: the essential oil, the absolute and C02 extract. All of them like the drink, are dark in color and mimic the aroma perfectly. The absolute tends to be extremely viscous and has the ability to overtake a blend if not used with mindfulness. The note, in general terms is described as rich, earthy, slightly bitter with a nutty, woody character and back notes of carmel.

The other raw material from this popular leafy shrub is the rare Coffee flower absolute produced in Madagascar. The aromatics of this flower when experienced in the forest is said to be quite a wonder. The absolute shares some similarities with other tropical flowers with heady, narcotic, rich notes.


Coffee as an aromatic material is closely knit to the culinary fragrance family. One can use it in miniscule amounts as an alchemic shifter in a perfume formula, in small quantities combined with wood and earthy notes or with wider strokes to impart the aroma of a rich cup of Jo. For the latter one can get super creative by blending it with vanilla, spices such as cardamon and cinnamon.

For Christmas 2000 I made a detoxifying coffee salt scrub by mixing the coffee grounds with salt and almond oil. The scrub was enlivening in the morning with the extra benefits of exfoliation and detoxification all in one!

Currently here in the studio I've got a Mocha Chocolate perfume to share with you all. I'd like to introduce you to it next week, if all goes smoothly, stay tuned.

The idea for this post today came when husband number 1, Ben, sent me a link to the 20th anniversary of Twin Peaks. Can you believe it's been twenty years since that massively successful, weird, creepy and wonderful show!? Here in Los Angeles there is an art exhibition that pays homage to the legendary tv drama opening on February 12th featuring the work of many friends as well as David Lynch. Check it out at TwinPeaks20.

FLAVOR

We mostly think of the drink when we hear the world coffee, or perhaps one of the numerous associated beverages like Café au lait, Cappuccino, Frappuccino or Liqueur coffee which has one titled Witches Coffee. Coffee is featured as a flavor ingredient primarily in desserts like ice cream, cakes and chocolate.

Now please hop on over to Beth at the Windesphere Witch blog for her contribution to this topic from the perspective of flavor.


Images and text ©Roxana Villa, pilfering content is a violation of copyright, don't do it. Coffee cup black and white photo generously loaned by CartaForBicesasso on Etsy.

Health Benefits of shade grown Coffee
An Obsessive's Guide to Coffee
History of Coffee website

Perfume Illuminated: Absinthe

“Let me be mad… mad with the madness of Absinthe, the wildest, most luxurious madness in the world.” ~ Marie Corelli

It seemed fitting that as we just celebrated the Autumn Equinox and Harvest Moon that Absinthe should be the one illuminated this day. Known also as the Green Fairy, Absinthe is a flavored alcoholic spirit from Europe. Originating in Neuchâtel, Switzerland the first Absinthe drink was an herbal elixir made of wormwood leaves macerated (tinctured) in wine. The healing potion was similar to "bitters" and said to help with a variety of dis-ease including stomach discomforts, rheumatism and jaundice. My first experience encountering the Green Fairy was in 2003 during a twenty day painting seminar in Austria. Each evening after dinner the artists in the workshop would gather to discuss art, spirituality, politics, etc and eventually head down to the steam room, in the spa. It was through the steam that I noticed a vivid green luminosity coming from one of my fellow artists glasses. He and a few others had glasses of the spirit with them. They told how they would sneak back the beverage to the US camouflaged in mouth wash bottles. This was before all the silliness with no liquids in luggage.

"I sit at my door, smoking a cigarette and sipping my absinthe, and I enjoy every day without a care in the world." ~ Paul Gauguin

Absinthe was made wildly popular by the Parisian artistic sector of the 19th and 20th centuries. During this time period rumors spread that the drink contained dangerous psychoactive properties due to the high content of thujone contained in wormwood. This reminds me of some current urban legends about africanized bees or toxic natural perfume ingredients

FRAGRANCE

Absinthe contains a "holy trinity" of herbs: Green anise Pimpinella anisum, Wormwood Artemisia absinthium and Florence Fennel Foeniculum vulgare. Wormwood Artemisia absinthium, a native of Europe and Asia, is the most popular ingredient in the trio and what the drink is named after. Wormwood is a perennial herb ruled by Mars with silvery feather leaves, woody stalks and olive green flowers. As an essential oil wormwood is not recommended in aromatherapy due to the high thujone content. It is considered a neurotoxin and as with the herb not recommended for prolonged use. If you decide to use the essential oil use extreme mindfulness and minimal amounts. Consider substituting on of the other plants in the Artemisia genus, which are not as toxic and please make sure not to take this essence internally! The predominant ingredient in Absinthe is Anise Pimpinella anisum. Other key components include: licorice, hyssop, fennel, angelica root, melissa, coriander, and nutmeg. Ingredients tend to vary depending on herbs grown in the region where the Absinthe is made. Almost all of these herbs exist as essential oils. To make your own Absinthe perfume find a pleasant ration between them and add to alcohol. After returning from the trip to Austria I created an Absinthe perfume and am excited to now resurrect her. I pulled out all my notes and formulas. In reading over my notes the mind has devised even more ideas. First I will take a whiff of the original I made back in 2003 and decide what shall stay, what shall go, etc. It would be easy to fall into a remake of Vera or GreenWitch, both of those having herbaceaous and green notes. For Absinthe I'm thinking of a slightly different direction though...we shall see, or actually smell, what transpires.

"I will free you first from burning thirst That is born of a night of the bowl, Like a sun 'twill rise through the inky skies That so heavily hang o'er your souls. At the first cool sip on your fevered lip You determine to live through the day, Life's again worth while as with a dawining smile You imbibe your absinthe frapp&eacute. " ~ Glenn MacDonough

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring

Please continue reading about Absinthe at the Windesphere Witch blog

Opening two images: 1. The Absinthe Fairy by Aly Fell 2. Absinthe Robette by Privat-Livemount Content and other images ©Roxana Villa.

Perfume Illuminated: Bay

Preferring the habitat of warm climates like the Mediterranean, our dignitary that gets illuminated today is noble Bay. When I think of Bay the image that immediately comes to mind is of Greek Poets crowned with this leaf of green. The Greeks and Romans prized this tree and woven into many of their mythologies. One of the most famous is the story of the Greek nymph, Daphne with her lover Apollo, who was transformed into a Laurel tree.


Originating in Asia Bay Laurus nobilis has become one of those universal herbs for both flavor and fragrance, particularly in Europe and North America. This particular evergreen goes by many names including Bay Laurel, Grecian Laurel, Roman Bay and Sweet Bay. When seeking out the real thing make sure to go by the Latin binomial Laurus nobilis since there are many other plants with the common name Bay and Laurel.

Acclaimed Greek poets were awarded Bay laurel wreaths to wear for academic success which today we call a bachelors degree. The original word was "baccalaurreate" stemming from the words bacca (berry) and lauri (laurel).


The cycle of the plant begins with yellow flowers in early Spring followed by dark purple black berries also called fruit. The evergreen leaves are abundant year round. In typical Mediterranean gardens you will find the tree in a pot near the kitchen, pruned to stay small so that the leaves are easily accessible for cooking.

Here in California we have a native Bay, Umbellularia californica, which is sometimes confused for true bay. This Bay also has other names which include Pepperwood, Myrtle and Myrtlewood. The California Bay is substantially more aromatic then the true and produces an exquisite essential oil. Be mindful with inhaling the aromatics of the fresh crushed leaves for they may cause a headache. The Chumash tribe of California use the leaves in much the same way that Europeans use their bay leaves, as poultices for headaches and rheumatism as well a decoction for grievances of the stomach.

FRAGRANCE

The aroma of the most popular bay laurel has warm notes of spice, herbs and a slightly floral component derived from the chemical eugenol. Eugenol is also located in the essential oils of clove and ylang ylang.

In aromatherapy we use Laurus nobilis extracted from the leaves and sometimes the berries. The attribute most often associated with this essence is "stimulation" to many different systems of the body. I use bay laurel in my headache and body ache relief preparations.


The essential oil of Laurus nobilis is also used in natural botanical perfume. Essences often associated or commonly confused with Bay laurel are Pimenta racemosa (BayRum) and Pimanta dioica (Allspice). Pimenta racemosa from the West Indies is what is used to create a traditional Bay Rum Cologne. Find a formula for creating your own Bay Rum cologne below. Historically the term Bay Rum was derived by the co-distillation of Rum with the Bay leaves of Pimenta racemosa.

BAY RUM AFTER SHAVE from Jade Shutes of the IDA

Base ingredients:

Nice glass bottle 6oz
Bay leaves
Allspice
Cloves
Rum (preferably Bay Rum or Bacardi)
Purified water
7-10 drops essential oil of Pimenta racemosa

Directions:

1) Fill 1/2 inch of the bottle with cloves and allspice herb - add Bay leaves - leave enough room so that herbs look nice and the rum can cover.
2) Fill 1/2 of the bottle with Rum, other 1/2 with purified water.
3) Add essential oil.
4) Shake.
5) Leave for one week, shaking periodically, to infuse.


The Phoenix Myster which has a Bay Rum characteristic, sold out this week, in the meantime while I make a new batch I'll be listing my Bay Rum cologne in the E-shop within the next few days.

FLAVOR: Beth Schreibman Gehring

Please continue reading about Bay at the Windesphere Witch blog

Opening two images: Faded Laurels by Edmund Blair Leighton and Apollo and Daphne by John William Waterhouse.
Content and other images ©Roxana Villa.