In 2004, Brian Clarke completed Fleur de Lys, a series of paintings dedicated to the French heraldic symbol of the fleur de lys. The motif has recurred throughout his work since 1998, having first appeared in an earlier series of the same title. Across the 2004 series, the fleur de lys is presented either in isolation or in grouped compositions, reduced to its essential graphic linework against dark grounds.

Clarke described 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."