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“There is something about the endless variation and mutation in Chihuly’s work that gives it a tangible affinity with natural selection, particularly in the plant world,” says Tim Richardson, garden and landscape critic and historian. This organic affinity between plant life and Dale Chihuly’s work is particularly pronounced in his Persian series, which has become an integral feature of the artist’s garden installations throughout the world. The fluid, rhythmic patterns of the Persians may be found floating in ponds amid a variety of extraordinary flora and fauna or suspended over towering cacti, bathed in brilliantly colored light, allowing the artist a compelling correspondence with nature.

The 2012 Portland Press Studio Edition Violet Persian Pair, a dramatic two-piece composition, unfolds in a swirling wave of plush aubergine. Against this dense color, a tonal body wrap emphasizes the sculpture’s lyrical swells, which culminate in a contrasting green lip wrap. The smaller, cone-shaped element draws the dialogue of color and form into the interior of the composition. Its twisted body unfurls into a verdant green that brings luminosity to the Persian’s epicenter.

The handblown Violet Persian Pair is signed by Chihuly and measures approximately eleven inches across. The set is accompanied by a custom-designed Plexiglas vitrine with a black base and the hardcover book Chihuly Persians, which features an essay by the art historian Tina Oldknow.

The Violet Persian Pair is an alluring example of the organic beauty of this important series.