European Sketches - Volume 2

While traveling through Rome, England, and Wales in early 2020 before the pandemic, I sketched and inked various compositions while traveling on the trains and buses. Each of the images in this second volume was drawn on a post card or brochure. The front of each postcard or brochure is shown on the left side of each illustration.

"Conquest of Carthago" is an illustration of various Carthaginian masks and sculpted heads. I was lucky to see many of these in person at an exhibit at the Roman Forum. This postcard was picked up at the Colosseum and originally only depicted a grinning mask on the obverse side. The profile view of this same mask is hidden on the reverse side which I sketched coupled with my depictions of the ancient artwork. On the bottom right of the reverse side is a concerned version of Moloch. My rendition is inspired by the modern sculpture that was placed in the Colosseum as a means of attracting visitors to the exhibit on Carthaginian artifacts. That sculpture was itself a replica of the Canaanite deity from a silent movie, "Cabiria". My Moloch is considering reforming his wicked sacrificial policies because of the strange ravings of the artifacts with which he's been forced to associate.

"The Flee of a Ghost" is a comedic, visual antimetabole of William Blake's "The Ghost of a Flea". I picked this postcard up while visiting the TATE Britain, and sketched and inked this concept while flying back to the USA. From what exactly is the ghost fleeing?

"Los, Urizen, and Orc" depicts three figures from William Blake's personal mythology. I'll let you guess which figure matches which entity. While touring the TATE Britain, I was able to see the exclusive William Blake exhibit during one of its last days with a few friends, and the rooms were filled with museumgoers. After escaping the claustrophobia, I waited for my compatriots by doodling this simple rendering on the museum brochure. The front of the brochure is Blake's "Ancient of Days". My sketch is far from complete, but I dare to keep it in its current state.