LA GRANDE BELLEZZA
When I received the invitation to take part in the Table Design Exhibition in London, at The Savoy, I was truly over the moon. For the past three years, I’ve followed this prestigious exhibition very closely. I even travelled twice to Istanbul to experience it, always dreaming that one day, I might be part of it. And now, that dream has come true. And what makes it even more special… is the theme: “Your Favourite Artist.”
I have always loved Botticelli. Especially his masterpiece The Birth of Venus. What an extraordinary painting — full of movement, botanical richness, and harmony. The composition, the intentional use of geometry, the enormous size of it - almost 2 by 3 meters. It’s so powerful.
La Grande Bellezza /
The Great Beauty
Tribute to Botticelli for
Table Design Exhibition, London
1485. Florence. Via Borgo Ognissanti. At the artist’s studio.
In a modest street near the Arno River, Sandro Botticelli, one of the most brilliant artists of the Renaissance, has just completed an extraordinary painting.
An image never seen before.
Almost two by three metres of canvas. painted with extraordinary precision, geometrically perfect, it unfolds a mythological scene of breathtaking beauty: what history will later call The Birth of Venus.
Botticelli knows. He feels it. This monumental work, together with Primavera, has secured his place in the eternal history of world art.
October 2017. Florence. Via Borgo Ognissanti, again.
I walk this same street every day during three months of work in Florence.
My footsteps unknowingly follow his, separated by more than five centuries.
He lived here all his life. I am only passing through, a traveller, a temporary visitor, a witness. I see this street vividly in my mind’s eye every time I think of it.
Inside the Uffizi Gallery, I enter Botticelli’s room.
And there they are.
The enormous beauties fall upon me with full force.
They crush my heart.
They overwhelm me.
The sea.
The sky.
The wind.
The shore.
The flowers.
The pale skin.
The flowing hair.
The drifting drapes.
Venus.
I am pulled inside their world.
Reading the Painting: Meaning Beneath the Surface
There is a belief that the painting was commissioned by Botticelli’s patrons, the mighty Medici family, most likely as a wedding gift for a bride. The orange trees were a symbol of the family, and they are depicted lushly.
Classical mythological scenes were commonly used for wedding gifts at that time.So many symbolic elements seem to point towards fertility and new life. Venus herself can be read as a virgin bride embarking on a journey into marriage, with the duty to bear children, welcomed by the Hora of Spring. The abundance of florals reinforces this sense of renewal. Even a delicate fold of the Hora’s cloak can be interpreted as a subtle allusion to the female body, with a small leaf of new life emerging from it.
Another story suggests the painting might also be a love letter, connected to Botticelli’s model Simonetta Vespucci.
Simonetta, a young noblewoman, charmed Florence. Despite living there for only a short time, and despite her untimely death from tuberculosis, she captured the city’s imagination and became almost legendary, spoken of like a “beauty queen” of her era. Botticelli painted her face in several works, as did other Renaissance painters.
A legend says Botticelli asked to be buried near her at the Church of Ognissanti, on the same street where he lived all his life. Some believe Venus’s face carries Simonetta’s features. Painted after her death, it may explain the otherworldly stillness in Venus’s eyes.
It seems to me that love was the biggest reason for everything in Italy. Botticelli was known for his admiration of Dante’s poetry. Dante wrote La Vita Nuova, a story of devotion to Beatrice, love that transcends life itself. This is not a superficial feeling, it's profound.
Translating Botticelli Into Design
With my table design, I wanted to convey the airiness, luminosity, feminine beauty, botanical elements, movement, and the sense of structure, those brilliant qualities that make Botticelli’s work stand out.
I knew I wanted to work with spring flowers. The exhibition takes place in spring, at The Savoy in London, with its legendary airy pastel interiors. The first flower that came to mind, because of its pearlescent shine and airiness, was my favourite spring flower: Japanese ranunculus, often called butterfly ranunculus. It has exactly the glow I was looking for.
I also chose to design the florals in a sustainable way, using the cleanest, most “pure” techniques possible, so the work is not about quantity and overwhelm, but about quality, intention, and beauty. In my floral design work let every stem to speak.
Botanicals, Geometry, Drapery, and Light
Botticelli’s love for florals is remarkable. Art historians have identified an extraordinary range of botanical elements throughout The Birth of Venus and Primavera. His botanical knowledge sets him apart from many artists of his time.
I adore his floral patterns, and I still find them echoed in gowns created by modern fashion brands. While looking for my own outfit for the exhibition, I noticed so many dresses that felt as if they were embroidered with the same language Botticelli painted more than five centuries ago. His work is truly timeless, and still influential today.
In studying the painting more deeply, I became fascinated by the way geometry seems to underpin its harmony: proportions aligned to the golden ratio, spiralling movements, and shapes that appear to “fit” within the composition. I decided to reflect this in the overall booth proportions, bringing a sense of golden ratio balance into the spatial design. And my co-producer and stylist, Krysta, proposed a spiral shape for the table itself, so we can pay tribute to the movement and the powerful perfection of the composition.
Drapes, movement, airiness, these are trademarks of Botticelli, and we must achieve them through our table styling and set design. I selected laser-treated organza for its luminosity: a material connection between the radiance of the painting and the pearly shine of the flowers. We chose some of the finest linens and overlays, and we will work with voluminous, Botticelli-inspired drapery: movement, abundance, beauty, decorative embroidery.
For the set design, I opted for a contemporary projection backdrop paired with airy artistic drapes. I’m working closely with David Lisser, a wonderful English artist with a deep love for botanical beauty. I asked David to include Venus’s face, Zephyrus and his consort, and the Hora of Spring in the projection artwork, to bring Botticelli’s world into the space. I want viewers to connect with Botticelli’s genius, his actual work, and to feel an almost spiritual bridge between 1485 and 2026, Florence and London.
Finally, special sculptural elements that elevate this table design into a true art piece come from my Amsterdam-based colleague and friend, artist and sculptor Cedric Laquieze. He developed the idea of Venus’s hair running through the booth, alongside a beautiful handmade shell prop and appliqués of flower silhouettes, through fabrics, and a quiet nod to the master.
La Grande Bellezza Team
A project like this is never created alone. It’s truly a collaboration. I’m very grateful to be working with inspiring artists and our fantastic international team.
Special thanks to:
Event Production: Table Design Exhibition in collaboration with RSVP Club
Creative idea, Floral Design and Co-Production: Katya Hutter Floral Design
Co-Production and Styling: Krysta Crossitt / Elevation Weddings
Assistants: Irene Stootweg and Chong Lai Lou
Digital Art / Projection: David Lisser
Shell Artwork: Cedric Laquieze
Stationary & Calligraphy: La Lettre - https://lalettrekalligrafie.nl/
Ranunculus Grower: Monarch Flowers
Sweet Peas Grower: Lathyrus.nl
Logistics Partner: Hilverda De Boer
Film and Photography: Officielle Stories, London
AV Partner: AV2HIRE
Sources: Letters To Aletheia, Uffizi Gallery
This project has been an incredible journey for me. A moment of true creative expression, something I will always carry with me.
It’s a process, a moment, an illusion, a profound connection to Divine beauty: La Grande Belezza, The Great Beauty.
Thank you!