Isabelle Skoog is an artist whose work explores the connection between the past and the present. During her residency at Château Orquevaux in France, she reimagined 19th century letters through a modern lens, preserving their forgotten stories with contemporary paintings.
Château Orquevaux
Located in France, it is a serene commune with a deep connection to the legacy of the renowned French philosopher, Denis Diderot. Diderot's daughter, Marie Angelique, married inthe Vandeul family, who established their roots in Orquevaux. The artists residency's founder and current owner, Ziggy Attias, has preserved a collection of letters from the 1800's between the chateau's groundskeeper, Mr. Moulun, and the Vandeul family's proprietor at the time, Albert de Vandeul.
Although these letters talk about everyday life, they are rich in personal anecdotes, historical reflection, and even idle gossip.
Below, are some of the paintings Isabelle created from these letters, giving them a fresh life.
Soisy 1880
In an 1880 letter, Albert de Vanduel disagrees with how Mr. Moulun went about a bedroom's floorplan, and he responds with a detailed drawing of furniture placement.
Soisy 1880 represents a modern rendering of one of the bedroom's recent renovations.
Les Soeurs
Mr. Moulun receives a letter form a neighboring priest about "worrying behavior" from some of Orquevaux's nuns, or "soeurs." The Orquevaux nuns have an apparent incessant habit of slandering everyone they work with. This priest felt the need to address the nuns' petty and jealous behavior and have them all separated.
I saw a scene on a painted tapestry in the chateau of a group of women, I painted a similar scene of women peacocking their looks to reflect how the priest must have visualized them.
Passé et présent
This is a tribute to both the past and the contemporary figures who have kept the property's stories alive. In the château's dining room, a bust of Denis Diderot, as depicted in this painting, graces the space, reminding us of the home's artistic legacy while surrounded by a community of creators. Diderot's daughter, Marie Angélique, is also celebrated in the painting, connecting us to her roots in the Orquevaux tapestry.
Learn more about Isabelle Skoog and see her full collection of Château Orquevaux-inspired paintings and read about the experience that shaped them in Issue 02 • Refresh & Revive.
Follow Isabelle @izartwork
