These paintings were done by artist Paul Cadmus in the 1940's and are extremely disturbing yet fascinatingly stylized and enigmatic.
Anger, Sloth, Pride, Envy, Lust, Avarice/Greed and Gluttony. These "transgressions of divine law" seem to be embedded into the human experience regardless of their implications in religion. During our lives on this earth, especially this day and age, it is arguably impossible to avoid these feelings: Envy and Greed seep into young people's minds through the constant media bombardment that shows us wealth excess and promotes mindless consumerism. The trend towards excess applies to the sin of Gluttony as well, as America's appetite for excess continues to grow and make it the fattest and most unhealthy country in the world. Anger and Lust are perhaps the most primal of the sins, one's that have always reared their ugly heads and always will regardless of what time period we're in. Pride is perhaps stronger than ever in society, like Envy and Greed, where our culture places fortune, fame and "status" above living simply and with dignity. A balance is needed in our lives though because just as ambition for fame and fortune can overrule one's moral compass, the sin of Sloth can be equally problematic because when one is lazy and has no desire to accomplish anything positive with their life, it is a damn shame.
Regardless of the ominous connotations associated with the seven deadly sins, something about the original concept and the numerology of the personified assemblage called to be illustrated. As a fine arts major with a minor in fashion illustration, it wasn't necessarily my intent but my natural inclination to illustrate each of the sins with an attractive female figure. Lightly inspired by the compositions of Alphonse Mucha, I placed each of the figures in a center circle to not only pay homage to one of my favorite artist's but as a practical technique to enclose the figures together, suggesting them to be one unit and to simply create the composition of the piece.
The center and perhaps standout figure (fashion-wise anyway) is Envy, standing regally in a jade green gown; the color of course representing the feeling of jealousy as well as her pose which was chosen purposefully to show the attitude of this vice. On either side of her is Anger and Gluttony; Anger in red with her frustrated hands on her head and Gluttony standing tall and dramatically, taking up much of the space with her excess embodiment. With Gluttony, as with all of the sins, I didn't want her to be a typically obese embodiment of the sin; not in an effort to glamorize (although I do like visually beautiful things) but to remember that all of the sins can still look beautiful and attractive, even when they're at their worst. Behind anger, standing a bit farther back from the others is Greed; representing the isolation that comes with only caring about money and things and not caring about people. Rounding out the seven sinful figures is Lust on top, Sloth on bottom left and Pride on bottom right. Lust is on top, representing the high that sexual indulgence can bring and also being above all of the others shows how lust is almost an umbrella for the other sins; whether it's our lust for sex, lust for laziness, lust for food, lust for money or lust what other people have- it all derives from an internal, insatiable lust for want. Sloth and Pride on the bottom clearly show the apathetic nature of sloth who just doesn't give a shit and the showoff nature of Pride who holds her legs and shoes up for us to gaze at and yearn for.
I'm extremely interested in and excited by the concept and process of not only enhancing but completely reworking a piece of artwork through electronic means. I wanted to take my simple line drawing of the figures and add the colors, render the depth and elevate it electronically into a modern, striking fashion vignette with thoughtful symbolism.
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