About The Golden Apple:

There are frequent occasions when the artist, Damon Denys, insists on keeping quiet about the nature of his subjects. His general attitude when pressed about it, it seems, is to tell the inquirer whatever he thinks they want to hear. The Golden Apple is such a case.

A popular image in his repertoire due to its soft and somewhat mysterious mood, one can only wonder "what is she thinking about?" Various theories have been expressed, none of which have been officially condoned by the artist himself, including the obvious assumption that the figure is a portrayal of the Greek god Aphrodite after having been awarded the Golden Apple by Paris, who has judged her to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Other theories have touched on the possibility that the painting is a reference to Eve and the Garden of Eden, or even that the figure is a feminine representation of Paris himself, contemplating which of the three goddesses must be given the apple. Comments by the artist have given an amount of credibility to every such theory, but it seems likely that there will never be an official statement on the matter.

The model for The Golden Apple is one of the artist’s good friends, whose fair complexion, long dark tresses, and deep eyes lend themselves well to the soulful, contemplative feeling the figure evokes. Having modeled for several of Damon Denys’ works, The Golden Apple is the truest representation to date of her actual appearance, which is an interesting note when one considers that the artist seldom strives to portray his models flawlessly, choosing instead to use them as a basis for his own aesthetic ideals.