Tribute Coin

Just as i finished the new painting, titled “Tribute Coin” (Render Unto Caesar), based on a biblical parable of coexistence of mundane authorities and divine power, i by accident found out a curious serendipity: 3 days ago was the yearly ancient Roman mark day called The Idles of March, namely the day of assassination of Julius Caesar who had to be stopped on a rise for tyranny. Thus from meditation on power of mundane authority, as caesar is a generic term defining a social position, it floated into thoughts on tyranny, its origins and mechanisms.
Another serendipity that often happens, is though coming up with a topic for a painting myself, in the process of making i often accidentally come across classical works rendering the same topic, as here a small obscure and not very known painting by Titian my path through National Gallery led to, or the following Odd Nerdrum self-portrait i noticed turning yesterday the pages of Kitsch book, which i am honored to post in the context. How eternal, how still relevant.

Am also including my favorite one of three preliminary drawing sketches i made with the model while thinking about composition.