The Goddess Demeter Waits in Eleusis for Spring's Return

This illustration depicts Demeter, the goddess of the harvest who presides over the bounty and fertility of the earth, waiting in her temple at the ancient city of Eleusis for her daughter, Persephone.  

The tale goes that Hades fell in love with Persephone and abducted her, taking her to the Underworld to be his wife.  Demeter searched relentlessly for her daughter and the seasons came to a halt.  With the earth at the brink of starvation, Zeus sent Hermes to fetch Persephone.  Hades would only release her if she had not eaten anything while in his domain.  Alas, poor Persephone had eaten a few seeds of a pomegranate and so was partially bound to the Underworld and Hades for certain months of the year, hence Fall and Winter.  The arrival of Spring means that Demeter will be reunited with her daughter and so she waits anxiously in anticipation of that meeting.

Here is the painting in progress:   

  

   

Medium: Oil on Crescent™ Cold Press board    
Dated: 2020
Original size: 20"x 30"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

See You Next Year!

My favorite winter icon is the snowman.  I have a collection of them which I display every year for Christmas.  

Medium: watercolor and acrylic on watercolor paper
Dated: 2020
Original size: 12"x 9"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

The Goddess Demeter - Watercolor Underpainting

This illustration depicts Demeter, the goddess of the harvest who presides over the bounty and fertility of the earth, waiting in her temple at the ancient city of Eleusis for her daughter, Persephone.  

The story goes that Hades, the younger brother of Zeus and Poseidon, fell in love with Persephone and abducted her, taking her to the Underworld to be his wife.  Demeter searched relentlessly for her daughter and the seasons came to a halt.  With the earth at the brink of starvation, Zeus sent Hermes to fetch Persephone.  Hades would only release her if she had not eaten anything while in his domain.  Alas, poor Persephone had eaten a few seeds of a pomegranate and so was partially bound to the Underworld and Hades for certain months of the year, hence Fall and Winter.  The arrival of Spring means that Demeter will be reunited with her daughter and so she waits anxiously in anticipation of that meeting.

Here is the original watercolor.  I am repainting this in oil.   

  

  

Medium: Watercolor on  Crescent™ Cold Press board    
Dated: 2010
Original size: 20"x 30"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Queen Cleopatra Seeks an Audience with Ra at Heliopolis

This illustration is of Queen Cleopatra Thea Philopater the VII at the gates of the ancient city of Heliopolis where she seeks an audience with the Sun God, Ra.  

Work in progress: 

Medium: Oil on Crescent®  cold press illustration board
Dated: unfinished
Original size: 16"x 20"

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Le Bordeaux

This illustration was commissioned by my high school french instructor and the journalism department for a publication they were putting together.      

Medium: Graphite on vellum paper
Dated: 1991
Original size: 11"x 14"
Original Art: NFS

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Rampant Lion

This illustration was done for two reasons: 1) as an exercise in metal texture and 2) to prepare myself for some Arthurian illustrations that I have had in the works for some time now.  As part of my research, the shield itself was influenced by a traditional medieval armory collection.

Medium: Prismacolor on Artagain paper
Dated: 1998
Original size: 9"x 12"
Original Art: In the collection of Bob Glass




All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Immortality

This illustration came from an assignment in my Commercial Art class.  I had to pick an idea and icon and come up with other expressions of that idea.

I chose the idea of immortality and the Ankh as its symbol.  My nine versions of immortality, as shown in the illustration below, are from left to right: Art, Christianity, The Fountain of Youth, Writing, Afterlife, Witchcraft, Film, Mythology, and Vampirism.     

Medium: Prismacolor and ink on illustration paper
Dated: 1993
Original size: 12"x 12"
Original Art: NFS

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.

Snowflake Study for Elsa Painting

This is a snowflake study that I did for an Elsa painting I'm working on called Queen of Ice and Snow.

Medium: watercolor and acrylic on watercolor paper
Dated: 2015
Original size: 9"x 12"
Original Art Available: $200

All images are ™ & © dba Albrecht Illustrations. All rights reserved.