In 2004, Brian Clarke completed a series of paintings after the fleur de lys, a motif that has reappeared in his work since 1998. Clarke describes his relationship with this symbol in 2021:

‘Considering the design perfection of the millennium-old original fleur de lys, my works are like the modern remains or wreckage of ancient masterpieces. I’m involuntarily drawn to the symbol, and it has served me as a metaphor, model and springboard for spontaneity for years.’