FRANK WALSH


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A scene depicts Agreus Astrayon, unusually both a Faun of great wealth, and one living amongst the Humans, bidding to buy a painting in an Auction. The symbolic nature of this scene was to show the character at odds with the society he had moved into. Further, I wanted to show additional symbolism in the painting that related to other aspects of the character and the story plot.


The inspiration for the theme of the painting, I suggested to the writers, was taken from the allegorical story of Prometheus, with the iconography and style for the painting derived from the painting by the Victorian artist, Jean-Louis-Cesar Lair (1781-1828) titled The Torture of Prometheus (1819).


In the Greek myth, Zeus was outraged by Prometheus' theft of fire to give to Man, and so punished the Titan by having him taken far to the east. Here Prometheus was chained to a rock and Zeus sent an Eagle to eat the Titan's liver. Each day it is consumed and then regrows each night, so his torment is endless. Dissecting the liver is an important plot line in the Carnival Row story, culminating with the with the unmasking of the evilness undertaken by Piety Breakspear


In the hero painting, the following changes were made:


Two figures are added, a Faun and beautiful Woman. The Faun replaces the Eagle, and instead of plucking at the victims innards, he grips the Man by the wrist. Either constraining him or raising him up is left to the observer to decide. Placing the Faun above the Man, places him in the symbolic God like relationship that artist often utilise. Mirroring the pose, the Woman or Siren, grips the other wrist, and again the question being posed, is she the Devil pulling him down to the red flames of ‘Hell’ or preventing his abduction by the Faun.

BELOW ARE THE STORY BEHIND JUST TWO

OF THE IMPORTANT GRAPHIC PROPS

THE HARUSPEX TAROT CARD FOR


RUNYAN MILLWORTHY

© FRANK WALSH 2020

Late in the shoot, the writers requested an additional Tarot Card to be designed to reflect the story of the travelling showman, Runyan Millworthy, whose character was developing into a more influential figure in the political plots unfolding. The design utilises the following imagery drawn from historical research to explain his fate.


TRAGEDY MASK, & COMEDY MASK.

Symbol of Theatre.


LEFT HAND RAISED PALM FORWARD,

HOLDING THE STRINGS OF A PUPPET.

Left hand symbolism from the Day of Judgment, when those on the left are consigned to Purgatory


PUPPET OF A BURGHER WITH SCALES

Symbol of Law


(BURGHER a medieval, early modern European title of a citizen of a town, and a social class from which city officials could be drawn)


THE JESTER STANDS ON A SCROLL

Symbol Of Knowledge –

Abused (Crushed under foot)

 

HANGING ROUND THE NECK IS A KEY

Keys represent knowledge, intellect, and uncovering things that are hidden from us.

The keys of the Heruspex card symbolize the keys to spiritual knowledge, and wisdom.

The Rising


A painting by Augustus Hope