#based on a painting of Salome

[alexologyart]

She just needed 5 minutes alone with She-Ra sword :)

[irlplasticlamb]

what does the god of your childhood look like? a soft apparition pigeoned in the attic, a wound eating you one year at a time?

prints + merch + ig

[seagullcharmer]

rusty lake posting (again)

this is really just a little thing but i keep thinking abt it. i've seen people talk abt how horrible nicholas is (he is!) but thru the lens of his marriage to caroline and how he's completely grey by the time david is born ('ewwww he must be soooo old!') and while i do believe he's older than caroline, i don't think it's as awful as people make it out to be. sure, we don't know for certain the age difference between him and caroline, nor between him and gerard, or his age in general really, but i do believe he went prematurely grey. this is entirely because when we see david (canonically somewhere between 15-17, due to him being Very Small in the family portrait where jakob says 'my family, 15 years ago' or whatever) without his hat, guess what! his hair's turning grey!

idk if i had a point with this. i just like thinking abt the eilanders.

[redance]

【 shioli kutsuna //. cis woman //. she/her 】 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠… AKANE MATSUMOTO into The Hub. You are registered to be TWENTY-NINE and have been given citizenship for ALL YOUR LIFE under the Expatriate Act. According to the data compiled, your most notable qualities seem to be AMBITIOUS & CALCULATING. Please confirm that you are CHAOTIC NEUTRAL. From what we’ve gathered your place of employment is currently for the SHABIRU as a GEISHA . We strongly advise that you provide the correct information pertaining to your background to ensure proper safety precautions: are you a _HOST_ or _HUMAN_? A deeper dive into our archive suggests that you are  A PAINTING IN MOTION WITH EVERY GRACEFUL GESTURE ,BALANCING ON THE TIP OF A KNIFE , SKIN BATHED IN HEADY WINE, NEVER-ENDING REINVENTION OF THE SELF. Though we noticed you, too, are similar to LA BELLE OTERO, SALOME, MILADY DE WINTER ( THE THREE MUSKETEERS ) , ACRASIA ( THE FAERIE QUEENE ) ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ᴠᴇʀɪғɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 100% ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ! Please comply to all regulations and laws. It is our hope that you enjoy your stay. 

FULL NAME: akane matsumoto .

NAME MEANING: akane 茜羽 deep red, matsumoto 松本 base of the pine tree

NICKNAMES: whatever your heart desires, though she is exclusively called just akane . geishas usually only have one stage name.

OCCUPATION :geisha, dancer, actress .

AGE : twenty-nine .

PLACE OF BIRTH : tokyo, japan .

GENDER : cis woman .

LANGUAGES : japanese, korean, mandarin chinese, english .

ETHNICITY: japanese .

DATE OF BIRTH : presumably 5.01.2015 .

ZODIAC : capricorn sun . virgo moon . libra rising

EASTERN ZODIAC: goat™ / ...vintage hermès by jean paul goatier

a girl is nothing until she is everything. adopted and raised by the shabiru clan. was found on a rainy winter morning, with no name. but that's not her tale. not the one she tells nor the one that reverberates in the mouths of all those who know her. if you ask akane, she'll tell you that she comes from a family of former geishas, each one lined up like precious pearls around the necks of japan's most eminent individuals. they danced for emperors, kings and queens, between the offerings and banquets, divine and unattainable, fated to be remembered.

elegance is her first language. they knew it from the start — how she kept her back straight and perfectly positioned her hands, even as a child. 'she could be something deadly', they whispered. 'but she'll also be something beautiful.' she was taught how to hold a blade in one hand and a book of poems in the other, used of course as a counterbalance, for both were of equal use when wielded correctly. when the rest of the nins went to sleep, she danced, painted and played an array of instruments, each one more complicated than the last.

when they speak of salome, tell them she wasn't always like this. she never found a mother in any of the women of the shabiru clan, but she loved and was beloved, truly, irreversibly, and madly, by one of their former geishas — thus akane even served as a maiko by this woman's side. greatly favoured by the aforementioned geisha, akane was weaned on attention and grew up to be rather competitive and emulous, yet in spite of her cruel ambition, she knew when to show mercy too; perhaps it was an innate trait, or even an echo of her true spirit.

anything that you can do, she can do it better. was an apprentice for four years and made her debut as a geiko upon turning eighteen. if there's one thing that rings true is that she never knew how to concede — she would bite and scratch and walk forward even when her feet and hands were battered and bruised and oozing blood; watch her dance, in a pool of crimson, in a pool of red, until there's nothing left but the emptiness.

a rose flung into a room, all hue and scent. she's held her tenure for almost eleven years now, and during this time, she's managed to reach the very top of the ladder. at least in terms of her profession. now, she dances and smiles, points a finger at any traitorous man, amating them with an idle laugh. watch her give contour and grace and style to discord and disarray. between heaven and abyss, only she exists.

TRIVIA.

the closest thing to a celebrity or an idol. is a woman of great prestige. she's well-known and adored by many, but unlike most celebrities, akane, as a geisha, exclusively entertains selected individuals and not the public. army candy of many— but ultimately belongs to no one.

at the moment, she isn't employed at a specific location, but rather can be seen wherever one needs/invites her. it's worth noting that she's quite expensive, high-in-demand and selective. it adds an air of mystery to her persona.

she's had many loyal patrons over the years, some that according to rumors she accepted as lovers, but those are all just speculations. however, there is one theory that could back up this claim — people whisper that a certain design/part of a hotel in the city was modeled after her breasts, especially when you look at it from the side. apparently, an architect fell in love with her and decided to immortalize her in this way. akane never confirmed nor denied it.

lives a very decadent life, greatly due to her patrons. jewelry, expensive materials, lavish food and drinks, she can just glance at it, and they'll get it for her.

notoriously bathes in high-priced wine and sake. not always, and certainly not as often as she tells people, but it's nice to soak in someone's yearly paycheck. i mean what. she does also sell her bath water, so if you don't agree, look the other way.

she performs at weddings, high-end events, holds tea ceremonies, and can be booked privately, be it for more or just one individual.

most notably, akane invented 'the red dance'. it's her own take on the jiuta mai, with some modern influence. it's intricate, thought-provoking and takes months to learn. perfected it by dancing in the rain without getting the lower part of her kimono wet. she's dressed in red from head to toe whenever she performs it.

emulates salome in many aspects. while she is trained and skilled in martial arts, akane much prefers to play the coy part and have others point their blades and bring her body parts of anyone who has wronged her.

at the moment, does mostly spy work and brings information back to the shabiru. her current involvement with them is veiled in a thick layer of secrecy, so unless someone's a member of their clan, they won't know much about her, other than what she wants them to think. this of course, may be subject to change in the future.

stared in a couple of films, at the behest, once again of her patrons. they were mostly minor roles, but after all, it's only another way to gain more notoriety.

whatever hides beneath all these layers of lies could be something ugly, but a journey of self-discovery still awaits her. she wants to believe that she's capable of something more.

PLOTS.

all jumbled up together but here we go i. a person who got to know akane on a deeper level. how and why can definitely be discussed but with them there's no need to perform. she gets to be herself, without all the makeup and lavish kimonos. ii. of course people that she's spying on or trying to get some intel on them. iii. regular clients who always come back, regardless of their reason. perhaps they want to discuss poetry, drink tea, or simply talk about their day. akane will listen as long as she's getting paid. when the cards decline, it's time for you to go. iv. higher-ups who believe that she's on their side or that they can win her over and have her come to their faction. she'd love to see the effort. v. perhaps the greatest sin of all would be to leave this world without having loved. things are already complicated, but why not make it even worse. they can always try, they can always fail. what is it about love that makes it so fatal? vi. some mutual dislike or perhaps it just comes from their side. maybe they're not buying her story fully, so they're trying to find more. vii. listen, she's been everywhere. you're bound to run into her at some point. so there could be people who know her from much earlier times, back when she was just starting out. viii. fans, patrons of her work. love it when things get a little obsessive. ix. someone who got exposed or will be exposed because of her. so much more! i'm always here to entertain crazy ideas.

[mai3phy]

Femininity, Art, and Crimson Troupe Boys ♥️

I was reading something about the demonisation of female sexuality (femme fatale) and its portrayal in art.

It said some notable elements in paintings of these "femme fatales" are

1) Snakes, for their combination of sexual allure(?) and danger. And also the bible references to the snake that tempted Eve. It's also why women were called "snakes", since they are seen as using their sex appeal to manipulate and seduce men.

2) Long flowing hair, for its association with femininity and seduction.

3) Mirrors, to portray the vanity of women. (And also the male gaze, which reduces women to objects to be looked at)

Many of the paintings are titled "Salome" (in my impression). Salome being a serial seductress in the bible (i dont know that much about bible lore please help me out here), and an obsessed "impure" woman in the play Salome.

Anyway, this lead me to think about Shalem Arknights because i gotta make this about my favourite character somehow.

Woww he's a snake with long hair. The mirror part is a stretch. (its more related to Phantom actually) Make of all this what you will.

I do love how Shalem (and Phantom if you think about it) takes inspiration from a female figure and expresses feminine traits.

As a random tangent both of them are based on plays about obsessive love. Very crimson troupe.

Theres also another stretch parallel that i thought of which is that Phantom and Shalem's portrayals (think the scripts, assigned names and personalities) are very controlled and also most likely done and decided by men.

Anyway thats about it thanks for coming to my incoherent talk 🫡 I just wanted to think about the boys' femininity.

live laugh love troupe boys

[hehates]

THE  EARTH  WILL  SEE  OUR  EYES  ,  GO  BLANK  TONIGHT  .  THE  EARTH  WILL  ROT  AWAY  ,  GO  BLANK  TONIGHT  .  I  ,  I  REALLY  WISH  THESE  SNAKES  WERE  YOUR  ARMS  .  I  ,  I  REALLY  WISH  YOU'D  MAKE  UP  YOUR  MIND  .  THE  EARTH  DISGUISED  A  WAY  ,  DON'T  BLINK  TONIGHT  .  THE  EARTH  WILL  SEE  OUR  EYES  .  DON'T  BLINK  TONIGHT  .  .  .    I  ,  I  REALLY  WISH  THESE  SNAKES  WERE  YOUR  ARMS  .  .  . 

sasha calle , twenty - nine / ninety - six , transmasc , he + they + she 𐫱 › hey , isn’t that salome alvarez ? i’ve heard that they’ve lived in bearhold for three months . rumor has it that they can be rather violent and manipulative , but hey , that’s just in their nature as a vampire . they totally make up for it by being charismatic and confident . if you’re looking for them , you can probably find them hanging out at pandemoniam .

" I  REALLY  WISH  YOU'D  MAKE  UP  YOUR  MIND . . . "

BASICS

full name ◦ salome alvarez . nicknames ◦ lome / lomé ; boss . date of birth ◦ april 23rd . zodiac ◦ the world's most evil aries . age ◦ twenty - nine ( appearance ) ; ninety - six ( actual ) . gender ◦ transmasc . pronouns ◦ he + they + she . sexuality ◦ bisexual . occupation ◦ art thief , underboss in a vampire brood / criminal organization . residence ◦ whichever bed he fell asleep in the night prior . he does have a little place , but never brings anyone there .

PHSYICAL APPERANCE

height ◦ 5 ' 7 " / 170 . 18 cm hair color ◦ black . eye color ◦ nearly black , but shimmer hazel in the light . tattoos ◦ none . the scar of fangs in his neck from being turned , he displays them proudly .

KNOWN ABILITIES

EMPATHY ◦ an ability linked to their human life , it's the ability to perceive and interact with the emotions of others . a manipulator in life and death , salome adapted the ability to sense emotions and use them to play someone like a fool . they're mistaken to actually have a mind control ability , but they're actually just playing their character based off of the vibes other people feed them . " do you like my personality ? i made it just for you . "

& high proficiency with the other abilities vampires are known to have .

INTROSPECTION

death / death mention , blood , guns / gun mention , crime / criminal activity tw . your name sake is a princess shown standing in graceful light , the head of her enemy cradled carefully in her arms . it's one of the only early memories that you hold close : the first time you laid eyes on a portrait of salome , you thought of how you wanted to sneak past barriers to swipe finger tips across her painted lips , a secret , just between you two . a love of art was born then , you recall . a need to have that princess sitting in your quarters . there's gaps after that memory , it shifts immediately to your surprise to see that the streets of the united states in the 1930s weren't paved with gold but , instead , were littered with bodies . your beginnings are humble enough , the fantasy of an american dream following you up until you're curling your hands around your first tommy gun . you're just a runner , at first , keeping you hair cut short and your conversations even shorter before you leave when told . you don't remember your parents , if you had siblings , but you remember looking through keyholes for glimpses at the life that had swallowed you whole .

no matter how much you touch , there's just never enough money to satisfy you . walking into a museum with a bag full of cash and walking out with that famous salome tucked under your arm , it what motivates you for a long time . you work hard , it's the key to success , after all , right ? working your way to the top , you believe in it with your whole chest until you're told a secret : if you want to actually taste the success you've created , you need to take what you want and step on people like stones . more gaps then , but you can recall walking into that museum , guns under your suit jacket , and walking out , mask over your face and your precious salome in tow . it gave you a rush , she , propped up in the basement of the hideout that you occupied , you , pressing lips against hers . to quite literally taste your success , a secret , just between you two .

how did it all come apart in the end ? bank , museum , bank — alley , in a pool of your own blood . you're not as immortal as you convince yourself to be . the untouchable is still touchable by silver bullets . a gap . a hand is outstretched to you in that dark place , the promise of second life offered like a gift and you selfishly take it , that vampire's blood smoothing down like medicine and their fangs sinking into your throat like shards of ice . a gap , black takes your vision , then , a gap . . .

how does it all come apart once more ? you make enemies quite easily , terrorizing and leaving behind entire towns that want you dead . laying in a pool of your old blood , the bitterness is familiar , as is the hand stretching out to save you . how has fortune now shined down on you twice ? twice now , you've cheated death . something wants you alive , you rationalize , with a fanged smile . perhaps you darling salome acts as a guardian angel . she'd be awfully lonely without you .

HEADCANONS

he does , in fact , have a place to stay , but he never brings anyone there . it's very nicely decorated with the spoils he keeps for himself , including his most prized possession : the original Salome with John the Baptist's head , by  Charles Mellin  ( 1597 – 1649 ) .

always wears black and walks with a parasol to shield the sun from their skin . another one of my goth kids .

his love languages are physical touch and quality time . receives love in gifts .

crazy good aim as a marksmen . a collector of classic fire arms .

technologically illiterate . he never even owned so much as a pager and often jingles with the sound of a pocket full of coins for payphone purposes . always pays in and carries cash .

big 1940s gangster vibes with his toothpicks and the silver dollar he's often seen flipping .

character inspirations : kibutsuji muzan from demon slayer , bill from kill bill , nico bellic from grand theft auto 4 , tony montana from scarface , tyler durden from fight club , and tuco salamanca from breaking bad .

[deulleya]

"smile for me, bosie, my dorian."

the fifteenth instalment of my musical translation series — a tale of literature and love based on the life and works of oscar wilde, painted in the colours of desire and seduction.

the videos are not mine, but all translations are my own.

musical: wild grey (와일드 그레이)

cast (2023): [oscar wilde] jungmin, park minsung, kim kyoungsu • [alfred "bosie" douglas] jung hwi, jeong jaehwan, kim rihyun, yoon seokho • [robert ross] ki sejung, ahn jihwan, kim jihoon

synopsis: the three people who dream of freedom, between art and reality. amidst the strict conventions and principles of 19th century london, oscar wilde's novel "the picture of dorian gray" is subjected to widespread criticism for its controversial themes. wilde's ex-lover and current friend robert ross advises him to amend his drafts, until the dispirited wilde encounters a charming boy — alfred "bosie" douglas — who closely resembles dorian. perhaps it is not that art imitates life, but that life imitates art...

production: new production (twitter / youtube)

- ☽ -

- ☽ -

살로메 – salome

jeong jaehwan as bosie, kim kyoungsu as wilde, kim jihoon as ross

[Bosie] This is the logic of power. The only way for the weak to wrest power from the strong is through either submission, or seduction.

[Ross] A daughter seduces her father on the stage? Even the church won’t let it slide this time.

[Bosie] Then, ought she to beg? Submission can yield one’s desire, but it lacks charm — for one can do nothing but grovel. Only seduction can protect oneself, while still obtaining what one desires.

[Ross] Spoken like a professional. You must be seasoned at it.

[Bosie] It certainly isn’t my first time.

[Bosie] For I’ve once desired something forbidden Things I cannot even begin to speak aloud The moment I realised they were unattainable It was akin to the thirst of drinking saltwater

[Ross] You claim the only methods to obtain one’s desire are seduction and submission — isn’t that too much of a false dichotomy? Furthermore, Salome failed in seducing Jokanaan.

[Bosie] Salome was able to seduce the king, for he was more powerful than her. Yet she failed to seduce Jokanaan, for she held more power than him. And so, ultimately, she used that power. To have him.

[Wilde] Ah, surely they don’t teach you such things at Oxford. Where did you learn all this?

[Bosie] I simply know everything. Especially when it comes to your works.

[Bosie] How about you, have you desired such? Things you cannot even begin to speak aloud Things you sought to obtain at all costs The moment you realised they were unattainable

[Wilde] After seducing the king, Salome requested for Jokanaan’s head. The severed head was served up to her on a silver platter,

[Bosie] And she kissed those lips.

[Ross] Satisfying one’s own desires is not love, but a selfish act.

[Bosie] How naive. In the first place, all love is selfish. Even Salome’s mother, in a bid to eliminate the Jokanaan who criticised her so, made use of her own daughter. But Mom, I won’t merely be used. For Jokanaan is utterly charming!

[Bosie] Salome wanted it

[Wilde] The Baptist’s lips

[Wilde, Bosie] The forbidden joy

[Bosie] Salome detested it

[Wilde] If she couldn’t obtain it

[Wilde, Bosie] She desired it even if she had to kill

[Ross] I’m leaving first.

[Bosie] The audience departs. Now, only Herod and Salome remain.

[Wilde] Then, try seducing the king.

[Bosie] You said you had something for me? There must be something at stake, to form a goal for seduction. Is this… really me?

[Wilde] Now, have you found a goal?

[Bosie] Salome draped seven layers of veils Over her young and beautiful body, and danced One layer, and one layer The seven veils are falling

[Bosie (Wilde)] One layer (one layer); one layer (one layer)

[Wilde, Bosie] The veils of my heart are falling

[Bosie] The only path to be rid of seduction, is to submit to that seduction.

[ based on oscar wilde's play salome. ]

- ☽ -

- ☽ -

도리안 – dorian

jeong jaehwan as bosie, jungmin as wilde

[Bosie] For example?

[Wilde] To feel beauty. And so he fell into it, and in love. Beauty is absolute; it requires no reason nor comparison.

[Bosie] A perspective of extreme aestheticism. But corruption is different. For it is a rebellion against the principles set by society, and one must prepare to lose everything one possesses. Especially for someone like Dorian, a young and beautiful noble. He would need that reason even more.

[Wilde] How are you so sure?

[Bosie] Because I, too, wish to fall into corruption.

[Bosie] I was curious as to why Dorian had to die at the novel’s end Why he had to feel guilt For acting upon his desires

[Wilde] If I say that society exists even within a novel, and there are principles which drive that society?

[Bosie] Then it ultimately ends with him unable to attain freedom. For Dorian, who pursued hedonism, died to his conscience. Wasn’t it written because he wished to liberate himself from reality? The author, that is.

[Bosie] It was strange, how the other characters Felt natural, as if they were alive Yet Dorian, despite being the protagonist Why did he, alone, feel distant?

I read it several times and found the reason Though others may not know Even if people call you corrupted I don’t agree with such a notion

You don’t know Dorian Though you might think that you do Or perhaps you simply wish that you do

Since you cannot live the corrupted life That the world speaks of You don’t know me yet

But you will grow curious Perhaps you may even desire me

For I will live such a life, here

[ based on oscar wilde's novel the picture of dorian gray. ]

- ☽ -

- ☽ -

당신의 눈 – your eyes

jeong jaehwan as bosie (park minsung as wilde)

Quietly, erasing the world And stopping time in a stifled breath In this moment

Within your eyes That gently embrace me When you look at me My heart is soothed When I walk with you I am no longer afraid of the thick fog

Here, right now, it’s okay No matter what state we are in If it’s the two of us

Within the world of your eyes Here, right now, I am beautiful

I wish to stop time This moment feels like a mere dream A place where I can become No one, and nothing Now, I am no longer afraid Not even of my reflection I gaze at

Together with you In this moment with just the two of us

I won’t run away anymore Within the world of your eyes

[ original korean lyrics here. ]

- ☽ -

[artthemasquerade]

Forced to face the consequences

So I was inspired to make this piece when I had seen a manga page about the Bible story Salome and the dance of the seven veils where she was presented by John the Baptist's severed head and many ideas started forming, the one I settled on was Ryo holding Miki's bloody head and feeling regretful for directly and indirectly causing her death at the hands of the mob via the broadcast. Perhaps he's regretful because Akira hates him for causing her death and its also planted a seed of doubt that maybe he isn't doing the right thing destroying humanity, or if you are considering my AU, he's regretful that he not has caused harm to the man he loves, but also gotten the woman he loves killed.

I based Ryo's pose and a little of the composition mostly on the painting of Salome: Salome With Column By Gustave Moreau

This was an interesting piece to make and I'm really happy how the background turned out, I'm not used to painting urban backgrounds but it feels like I'm improving in that. XD

Btw if you like what you see and want a commission drop me a direct message on tumblr, instagram, a note on deviantart or artistree https://artistree.io/missn11

[imageingrunge]

hey mel!! did you play as a tiefling first? Did you use a face preset/mod? My presets (base game) don't look like that at all, that's why i'm asking🩷

yess i use faces of faerun presets- i really like the one called themia, I used it for Dark Eyes n my other tav Salome I feel its very versaitile especially w hair options u can get different faces, i also use this specific tat from War Paint galore i feel like it gives an illusion of a fuller upper lip at some angles

[pocketvenuslux]

Papillon Artisan Perfumes is one of my favourite niche houses. It has a very cohesive and distinctive voice, one that draws heavily on vintage perfumes. Although the prices have gone up a fair bit (when I bought Salome in 2016, it was US$160 and it's now retailing at US$205), it has managed to maintain its singular vision and integrity over the years. I feel like when niche houses reach a certain point of success, there is a lot of pressure for them to grow by increasing the frequency of releases and then the quality/creativity suffers. Thankfully, Papillon has resisted that pressure.

I recently tried the house's two latest: Spell 125 and Hera and I enjoyed them both.

Spell 125 seems like a bit of a departure for the house. It has a powerfully resinous, coniferous opening that leans toward the photorealistic end of things. This was surprizing to me as it felt very contemporary, more Slumberhouse than Guerlain. But as the scent develops, Moore's familiar touch begins to emerge - even though Spell is in no way a vintage throwback. But the complexity of the dry down, its development, turns the scent's initial piney blast into something far more beguiling and it is here the scent really begins to distinguish itself. In particular, contrasting with the scent's coolness is a soft, animalic blur of "white ambergris" and fragrant, slightly sour frankincense that imparts an aliveness and a gentle heat that is very much in line with the more overtly fleshy Salome and Bengale Rouge even though Spell is completely different genre of scent. It evokes a spaciousness, stillness and serene vitality that makes it another winner for me.

Hera is more in line with Papillon's traditional vibe and is the more complex scent of the two. To be honest, I personally did not like it as much as Spell (which is just as well as it's retailing at a much higher price point than the others at US$310). It is beautiful, but this scent, originally designed for Moore's daughter's wedding, is perhaps one that speaks so much to someone else that it had less to say to me. It's still an excellent perfume, a vintage style aldehydic floral - but not in a diva-esque, attention seeking way. Quite the opposite, it feels incredibly well measured. Hera opens with a lovely veil of aldehydes that give its florals just the right amount of lift. As the scent develops, the flowers are abstracted but not stereotyped and certainly not the innocently fresh bouquet we associate with brides. Rather they are lushly dense with subtle, interchanging degrees of powder, butter and sweetness, all grounded in a gentle but hefty base of musk, labdanum and sandalwood. One has the impression of light, but it's not sunny in any Pollyanna sense, nor is it one of Dryad's sun dappled fields. It's more of a radiant, soft focus effulgence. There is too much of a sense of corporeality for Hera to evoke simple summertime sunshine. Allusions to the body in perfume are almost always a reference to sexuality, sweat and what goes unwashed but here, it is really about presence. What I like most about Hera is that it paints a portrait of a woman that feels very real, one that you can feel is authored by a woman's perspective. There are no fantasies here about blushing brides, no virgins or whores, no maidens, mothers or crones. I almost feel like I know something about Moore's daughter through Hera.

[burniture]

Salome II with John The Baptist Beheaded Presented by Franz von Stuck as Donkey Kong, oils & gold leaf, 7x9 carved wooden canvas painted over hallmark memento mori found curbside

(Based on Salome II originally painted by Franz von Stuck, oil on wood, c.1906)

[shell-th]

A stunning original etching and aquatint by the Austrian artist Ernst Fuchs dating from 1991. It features the Biblical character of Salome reclining naked on a bed and resting her hand on the head of Saint John the Baptist. A dog is lying on the floor in the foreground and a creature with a man's head peering out from under the bed.

Ernst Fuchs (1930 - 2015) was an Austrian painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, architect, stage designer, composer, poet, and one of the founders of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism. Fuchs' drawing and painting skills are based on works from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. His paintings and graphics, executed with masterly detail, display strong religious and mythological symbolism. Around 1978, a new phase of his work began, using bright colors, simpler compositions, and sometimes exaggerated figures from ancient and Germanic mythology.

Ernst Fuchs (1930-2015) - Salome

[seagullcharmer]

once again thinking abt rusty lake....

i had talked a while ago (read: like, idk, 4 days ago or smth) abt caroline + salome. at first i had been wondering abt the significance of caroline dressing like salome, how she had seen that painting, etc. but then i remembered case 23: chapter 1-- the painting 'the lady of the lake' by lacus fleo. perhaps the painting of salome with the head of john the baptist just,,, doesn't exist in rusty lake, since there's canonically a painting of caroline holding a black cube which is just an edit of the other painting.

this then leads me to wonder just who lacus fleo was.... how did they meet caroline? and with the background of the painting, it seems caroline was on the mainland when she posed for it. curious! was it painted before she married nicholas and/or moved to paradise? whose cube is she holding on the platter?

i know it's probably just a throwaway bit to move the puzzle along, but it's still interesting to think about imo. the painting is well enough known that laura had a copy of it in her house, and either the original or a reproduction hangs in the rusty lake church. do art fans know that it was based on caroline? or do they think she was a woman who faded into obscurity, or else just some woman fleo asked to sit?

do people talk about what happened to paradise island? did people wonder abt the eilander family? or when jakob built the hotel there?

[thepermanentrainpress]

SHADOWFAX: ORPHEUS

Orpheus – Shadowfax Release Date: April 1st, 2023

Track Listing:

1. Ferns 2. Stars and Shells 3. Salome 4. Slumbering Man 5. The Inferno 6. Darkness Fell 7. The Vagrant

Shadowfax’s Orpheus is whimsical folklore. Shaped by ancient metaphors and calming melodies, the album burrows and nestles its way into your heart. It holds your hand as you wander through a forest at the mercy of the elements.

Vancouver-based Shadowfax has a fresh, crisp sound, existing in the same vein as alternative folk bands like Lord Huron and Of Monsters and Men. At the same time, the band doesn’t shy away from non-traditional instruments including pedal steel, banjo, trumpet, and theremin. These instruments help differentiate Shadowfax’s sound which, at times, ventures into jazz and country territory.

The first song of the album, “Ferns,” comforts listeners with sweet, warm fiddle and rich imagery: “Lay me down in the shady grove where the nesting starlings go / I'll make no sound, but I'll take ample care that the wild ferns may grow.” Jeremy Fornier-Hanlon’s delicate indie vocals contrast with country flares. Slow, melancholic tones emerge in “Stars and Shells.” Cascading prose adds drama, while harmonious singing folds listeners into a gentle embrace. Natural lyrics paint a lush landscape: “As the wind kissed the air and the sun / And I landed on clouds and I started to run / And the rain and the trees all combined into one.”

“Salome” binds a spell with dazzling trumpet, keyboard, and electric guitar. Cheeky microphone vocals recount a seductress’ visit to town: “Well she danced into our town just like a storm in late July / She had some heat, was oh so sweet / You know she caught a couple eyes.” Spunky percussion feeds a festive but tense energy, reminiscent of Hozier’s “Dinner & Diatribes.” Deep, sorrowful strings accompany rustic layers in “Slumbering Man.” The song stiches an impressive orchestral patchwork with blocks of despair and beauty. Words mark the passage of generations: “While the breeze blew softly you slept through the years / And young hearts went bankrupt from borrowing tears / And the lake dried to nothing, where life had once sprung / The old were once young.”

“The Inferno” cries for the climate: “Fragile life so fleeting, forestry receding / We lit the match, now watch it all turn black / Ancient trees are falling, industry is calling.” Its meaningful message secured with plucky acoustic and edgier electric guitar. Musical notes soar and wrestle with morality. Peaceful and soothing sounds blossom in “Darkness Fell,” a track dealing with rage, aggression, and the perpetration of harm: “With raging darkness in your hand and careless evil in your heart / You cut a swathe from town to town and tore young families apart.” This duality shifts into a softer place near the end, confronting inner wounds with caressive drums and melodies full of twang. The collection ends with “The Vagrant,” a bittersweet send-off. Steady sunset strings pluck away to reflective lyrics: “Well I'm a road-weary wanderer and I'm out for to roam / And it may not seem much but this road is my home.”

Cinematic, creative, and everlasting on the ears, Orpheus by Shawdowfax is an album worthy of adoration. Cohesive, clear, and skilled instrumentals immediately command respect. The songwriting is a feast for the mind, nurturing stunning scenery and emphasizing shared, interconnected relationships.

Written by: Jenna Keeble

[razxdigital-year2-semestersb]

Target Audience/ friends description

I took a time to see if the vibe they were portraying linked to their personality, so I got them to answer a few questions. This was just for a better understanding as each aesthetic was going to be based around how they see the aesthetic and the artwork I make based for the ideas and narratives they imbed and link to the aesthetic.

Friends’ data reference – Bohemian 

Name: Salome

Age: 20

MBTI: ENFP

Zodiac: Taurus

Fave colour: Green, Blue, Yellow

Likes: Music, Cheerleading, Romance comedy films, Painting, and Gems

Dislikes: Cooking, Small talk, Negativity, disingenuous

Hobbies: Cheer, Skateboarding, Painting, Psychology

 Friends’ data reference – Streetwear

Name: Lana

Age: 21

MBTI: INTP

Zodiac: Aquarius

Fave colour: Orange, Pink, Ocean Blue

Likes: Rap, R&B, Alternative Hip-Hop, Cars, Anime, Manga, Comic books, Films

Dislikes: I don’t really have anything I don’t like, maybe cleaning

Hobbies: Roller skating, Playing Bass Guitar, poetry

 Friends’ data reference – Femme Fatale

Name: Kiarhea

Age: 23

MBTI: INTJ

Zodiac: Scorpio

Fave colour: Deep Red, Smokey Black, Cream

Likes: Romance films, Roses, Shiny things, Binders, high heels, watches

Dislikes: Plastic cutlery, kitten heels, muddy trainers

Hobbies: reading fiction books, documentaries, gallery days, trying new food places.

[majorshatterandhare]

[ID: A digital painting of Drumbot Brian, from the Mechanisms, holding a platter with a rose on it, based on the painting Salome with the Head of John the Baptist (italics: Salome with the Head of John the Baptist) by Charles Mellin.

Brian is a brass man with curly copper hair, including short facial hair. He has a silver W-like shape where the plates meet across his face with matching silver rivets along it. His eyes are black with brass irises and his nose is a large triangular pyramidal shape. He is looking towards the right side of the frame of the image. He has a pair of drumsticks behind his left ear. He wears a white collared shirt under a rose and black patterned waistcoat and a black double-breasted coat. The coat has gold buttons. Brian's bottom half can not be seen. He wears black gloves with silver rings on his right hand. He holds the platter in both hands and there is nothing on it aside from a red rose with a long stem; which changes from green to a brown-red color just after a pair of leaves. The background of the painting is black. End ID]

Drumbot with a rose, red

[A rendition of Salome with the Head of John the Baptist]