featherwurm:“In Madrid the Spanish artist Francisco Goya made a sketch in red chalk of Jonat
featherwurm: “In Madrid the Spanish artist Francisco Goya made a sketch in red chalk of Jonathan Strange surrounded by the dead Neapolitans. In the picture Strange is seated on the ground, His gaze is cast down and his arms hang limp at his sides and his whole attitude speaks of helplessness and despair. The Neapolitans crowd around him some are regarding him hungrily others have expressions of supplication on their faces. one is putting out a tentative finger to stroke the back of his hair. it is needless to say quite different from any other portrait of Strange.”(Large scale commission for a friend, this was a really fun challenge. I did take the liberty of doing paint instead of chalk, for ease of presentation. I’ve done my best to make the dead Neapolitans seem thoroughly grim.) I’m still fond of this - I think I did a good job making them all seem grim but pitiable. Though I think given that it’s imitating Goya I could have made them more grim still, perhaps. -- source link