Mark Anthony Taylor

This painting depicts the Tree of Immortality, a motif from the stories of the Greek myths, with its golden apples which gave eternal life to those who ate them. It was gifted to the goddess Hera on her marriage to Zeus. She appointed the dragon Ladon as its guardian. Ladon was the offspring of Echidna, 'she-viper', half woman, half snake. This is very familiar imagery which brings to mind another garden, another tree, a snake, a woman and temptation, as well as the loss rather than the gain of immortality. The intricately hand-crafted leaves, of which there are in excess of 1,800, each veined, are layered on the surface to create the appearance of a low relief sculpture, rather than a work on canvas. These, together with the spheres of the golden apples, bursting with the promise of eternal life, are intended to immediately draw the viewer's eye. The sinuous trunk of the tree holds the promise of immortality aloft, and is underpinned by the tree's roots. This depiction of the Tree of Immortality mirrors traditional depictions of the Tree of Life, in which there is no delineation between what is above and below the ground. The diamond shape, a motif used extensively during the medieval period, and used as the backdrop for the image of the tree, represents the scales of Ladon in a subtle way. The use of this motif is intended to give rise to the impression of the work as a finely crafted shield, the dragon shielding the tree, and shielding us from our temptation. The centre of the canvas is presented to hold the viewer's attention...at least until what is lurking in the shadows is realised. There, hiding in plain sight, is Ladon, the tree's true protector. Suddenly we realise that he has been watching us all along, that he is everywhere, the ever-present threat that prevents us from reaching out and succumbing to temptation ... attaining the blessing, or the curse, that immortality would bring. Who would dare, under the hostile glare of the fiery orange eyes of its scaly protector which, as in the myth, never close?

£12,000.00
Abstract.
W 100 cm x H 120 cm x D 40 mm / W 39.37" x H 47.24" x D 1.57".
Media: High quality professional standard Acrylic.
Surface: Deep edged stretched canvas - with edges painted.
Initialed 'MA' on edge - this forms part of the painting.
Signed on reverse.
Original artwork with signed Certificate of Authenticity.
Ready to hang.