Persephone, known as the queen of the Underworld, was the inspiration behind this poignant design. According to Greek myth, in springtime Persephone inhabited the Earth and all the flowers bloomed in her presence – but when she returned to the Underworld the plants withered and died, signalling the arrival of autumn. The design features spring florals contrasted against darker flower heads and shadows, to hint at the darkness in the story. The style is inspired by Dutch flower paintings, which influenced the technique of using gouache paint on black paper