Artwork Description:

Title: The Death of Achilles II

The death of tragic hero Achilles from Greek Mythology, after being shot by the arrow of Paris in his only area of vulnerability.

Within this painting, my intention was to portray a tragic and more theatrical recreation of one of the most renowned moments in mythology and the ultimate culmination to the story of Achilles. In focusing on this, I aimed to create a scene showcasing the inherent fateful yet catastrophic conclusion to his life due to his hamartia. The framing of this piece emanates a sense of what is perhaps a regretful acceptance to his circumstances, which were indeed inevitable, yet had a chain of hubristic actions that triggered his own death.

Despite the realistic style, one of the things I enjoy most is dramatising and reconstructing historical/mythological events both visually and conceptually. This is evident in the physique, clothing, and overall setting of the piece, as my intention is not to create an exact and wholly accurate representation of how this event would look but instead an exaggerated and more thespian recreation. Ultimately, this stems from my love for Baroque art – particularly Caravaggio – which serves as my main inspiration for the majority of my pieces and my artistic aspirations.

To me, this painting is a constant flow of tragedy – a mixture of anger, shame, regret, and defeat; the unavoidable and unwanted prophesied fate over a life that could not live freely.

Artist Bio:

Lydia Ridley is an 19 year old predominantly self-taught artist based in South Yorkshire, England. She works in both traditional and digital mediums, primarily exploring religious and mythological tales and aesthetics in her subject matter. Much of her work is inspired by Baroque paintings, particularly those of Caravaggio. Her use of symbolism and dark imagery largely reflect underlying themes of homoeroticism, queerness, mortality, and identity.

Ridley spent two years from the age of 16 studying A Level Fine Art at her local college, from which she graduated with an A* in 2023. Up until this point, she was entirely self-taught. Following this, she has gone on to showcase her artwork in various exhibitions and work on expanding her portfolio. Her current focus is creating oil paintings and refining her singular style.