Sorry I haven’t been blogging as much as I would like! Recently, we have had an unusual amount of snow and ice down here (which means about five inches) and the People in Charge of the Roads are simply unable to deal with it. Oh well.
Anyway – the winter issue. I thought I would explain the random pictures on the site this time, since some people have guessed wrongly how they were done. There were actually two paintings, about 14 inches wide and about 4 inches tall, which were broken up into sections for distribution on the site. They were intended to imply a story in general, not anything in particular.
The first set of characters include a royal hunting party. They are out to hunt foxes, but the fox has tricked the hounds by climbing onto the branch of a tree, and the dogs are subsequently distracted by the sight of a unicorn. The unicorn was attracted, of course, by the virgin tied to the tree. Near her, a man in green is aiming an arrow at a boar – is he protecting the girl, or is he responsible for her capture and being held hostage? In the distance, a bear wanders past, and a falcon darts over the man. We are left wondering who the good characters are, and who are the evil ones; what kind of resolution will come about.
The painting above includes the typical old-hag-who-lives-in-a-cave. This wonderful person has lit a fire outside the cave and is waiting to share the roast chicken hospitably with any unsuspecting passer-by. A lurking wolf, some crows, and a couple weasels show that the animals also expect someone to come around eventually. A little further in the forest, we find a well-lit cottage, with a woman waiting in the doorway. She could be either another treacherous enemy or a simple and loving wife waiting for the return of her husband. The knight fighting his way through the brambles could either be that husband, or he could have been a good man lured off the path of righteousness by who-knows-what. The path, however, leads out of the woods and to a well of clean water, surrounded by green fields and rabbits. A shepherd quietly leads his sheep, and the sunrise in the distance promises a happier future.
Feel free to comment and leave your own interpretation of the story!