While walking up on top of Lacoste, I was delighted to discover purple iris blossoming along the edges of the fields, and on the low stone walls. At first I assumed the plants were growing wild, because of being out in the “open” fields, not in private enclosed yards. It may be more likely that they had been planted by the farmers or shepherds. As I was later to hear from farmers, these fields had long been used for winter pasture for sheep and goats.

Iris had always been a favorite flower, and I explored the three-dimensional sensuality of the blossoms in many drawings and ultimately a large painting (see 1979).