Death & the Maiden, 2020

16" x 20" Acrylic on Board; Basic Frame

The title was an afterthought. Emerging from liminal sketching, the vision of a woman's face entwined with death's grimacing head reminded me of the classical theme of "Death and the Maiden" explored by other artists (Schiele, Stokes, Verno, Munch, etc.). In this case the "maiden" is aged and closes her eyes in resignation to the darkness. I can only speculate from where the imagery emerges: after a long life of carrying trauma so deep the whispering of death sounds at last like seductive release.

Reverse: liminal sketch of a smouldering horse with stiff legged gait and hollow eyes; the night-mare. What hero or fool could ride such a tormented mythic creature?

F. Forrestall