Daughter of Otrere and Ares, Penthesilia fought in the Trojan War in approximately 1180 B.C. where she drove Achilles from the field of battle several times before he eventually speared her through. As she fell to the ground her helmet fell off revealing her great beauty. Achilles instantly fell in love with the dead Amazon and thus sought to protect her body from defilement by the Greeks.
For a number of years I regularly attended a live nude model class at our local art center. My technique was to first make a black and white charcoal drawing on toned paper and then use that drawing along with the live model to create an oil painting.
One day, the model was posed standing proudly with a large dowel that she held like a spear. In my mind, I could see her as an Amazon warrior, standing guard on a bluff looking over her lands. I researched Amazonian legends focusing on one of their great queens, Penthesilia, and incorporated her supposed clothing, weapons and background into my painting. I had so much fun doing this that I began researching historic women of power, discovering many fascinating, yet mostly unknown, strong and influential female leaders of the past. This body of work became my "Warrior Women" series and are all created with this nude-to-warrior woman concept.
"Penthesilia, Queen of the Amazons" Original 30" x 18" oil on canvas, SOLD, prints available
