Original artwork description:

Oedipus the king of ancient Thebes is considered as one of the most celebrated tragic characters of ancient Greek Drama. We are all well acquainted with the story. Discarded at birth to die because it was prophesied that he will grow up to kill his father and become king, he survived and grew up not knowing his original parents. As a young man he met his birth father at a crossroad and killed him after an argument hence fulfilling the prophecy. He slayed the Sphinx and became king of Thebes and married his widowed birth mother who bore him children through this incestuous relationship. All this happened without Oedipus or his birth parents knowing that they were related by blood. It was all destined. And as fate will have it the truth is ultimately revealed and Oedipus’ mother committed suicide and Oedipus chose exile after scratching his own eyes out rendering himself blind. Though this painting is based on this tragedy, I have tried to elucidate the reasons for this tragedy through the imagery. Fate and society conspired to render Oedipus a tragic hero. He rose in honour and then he was made to fall from that pedestal. Would it have been such a tragedy if Oedipus actually died as a baby? Why was Oedipus being blamed for patricide but his father was not blamed for discarding his son to die as a baby? Was it because he was the king and had the power? Did Oedipus and his mother not love each other as husband and wife? Were they not happy as a couple? Was it not society and its moral codes which rendered such a loving relationship as sin? Were not such moral codes the cause of the guilt that drove Oedipus’ mother to take her own life and for Oedipus to blind himself and be exiled? So, what makes a tragedy is not just the fact that we are helpless puppets when it comes to cruel fate playing with our lives, but also the fact that society has very rigid morality which makes it cruel towards people who do not fit in.

I have used watercolours, pen and ink on acid free textured paper to bring this work of art to life.

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Materials used:

Watercolor and pen drawing with waterproof ink on acid free paper

Tags:

#oedipus #illustartive #watercolour #flower #surrealism #erotic art #art on paper #eyes #male nude #faces #mythology #vagina #greek myths #tragedy #penandink