Witnessing Lilith
© 1995 Ruary Allan
16" x 20"
oil on canvas

Gender oppresion and domination of nature goes way back. Lillith was a persecuted feminine archetype from the Old Testament. In the bottom half, a deathly figure I call the Reverend Hunter (half minister, half English fox hunter) is learing toward the serpent Lillith who is trapped by tooth-like projections. Beyond the landscape with stone circle are other figures: the hung fox, the childishly rendered trickster crow, a clowning sideways face and a muzzled wizard / father time. A smaller wizards calls attention. Between fox and crow, an eye-like object gives suggestion that the left half of the painting may form a face, the tooth-like projections being in its mouth. This face could belong to myself or the viewer, and bears, to my mind, an expression of shocked realization viewing the scene.

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