The Last Enemy

Originally begun as a sketch on the back of some white-backed Magic cards, I had a little time between assignments, so quickly jumped from sketch to painting before the idea got queued in my 5-year waiting pool. There are many images still in that pool who think it was a little unfair. After doing a couple of value studies, I opted for one in which the Reaper wore a white robe. Basically, I'm kinda tired of dark-clad Reapers. I mean, are dark robes the standard-issue uniform? I don't think so. After all, in China and Japan the color of mourning is white. Surely Death dresses in a culturally relevant manner wherever he might go? More than anything, I just liked how it looked, and when making art that is a pretty good reason to do something.


11x14" Acrylic and oils on paper over masonite

Death, personified, is a very interesting thing in its own right. Appearing in many world cultures over the course of history, he takes on many forms. Sometimes he's even a she. Sometimes he wears white, sometimes rides a pale horse, sometimes a dark buffalo, and often wields a scythe. He's a common fixture in world religions, and rather than title this image something simple like "The Grim Reaper," I've gone for one of the Biblical titles for him, "The Last Enemy," which strikes me as a good character summation of what all these personifications are trying to embody; it also has a sort of final-boss videogame chic to it. A larger view and purchase details are available here.