Nicole Cadet Fantasy Art

WIP of The Erinyes for the AFAE Theme of Three show. Yeah I know, really original trinity pose (much like The Cauldron
 from a few years ago).

Anyway, the Erinyes were goddesses of natural law, protecting blood ties in particular. They didn't like murder or rape, and punished offenders by tormenting them rather than striking them down dead. They bring justice, however can be appeased, becoming the Eumenides. Traditionally there are three - Tisiphone , Megaera, Alecto and are said to be the daughter of Nyx, one of the oldest female deities of the night/ darkness. Their symbols are the snake and blood.

Tisiphone punished murderers and was in some stories originally human. Alecto punishes moral crimes such as anger against other, and has links to Nemesis. Megaera is the cause of jealousy and envy, but is also the punisher of these crimes.

I've chose to depict them in grey rather than black (mourning garb) or white (when they are appeased). They were neither good nor bad - they were goddesses of revenge and did not take circumstances into play. Accidental death of a parent of sibling was still death and punishable according to the laws of blood. They were often depicted as fearsome, hideous creatures, much like a gorgon, with snakes for hair, and blood filled eyes. But as goddesses they could take on any guise they chose, and to me, something that is beautiful is much more terrifying than something that looks fearsome. The whip and the torch were also weapons, and they rode in on a storm.

I'm trying a slightly stylised way of painting - their skin will be only thing which is reasonably realistic. Oh, I referenced myself though it's not looking much like me :) I've been avoiding all other work over the past two days while I paint this. I need to stop for a while, I'm getting a crick!