Cherufe 1991

Boris Vallejo’s painting, Cherufe, is a riot of vibrant reds and oranges, all set to create a super dramatic scene. I can imagine Vallejo starting with broad washes of color, building up those fiery hues layer by layer. Did he attack the canvas with gusto, or did he take his time teasing out the details? I'm thinking it must have been a real physical workout, wrestling with those colors to get that molten, almost hellish, atmosphere just right. The way he renders those two figures, all bronzed skin and shiny hair, reminds me a bit of Frazetta, or maybe even some classical nudes, but with a sci-fi twist. The swords they carry look so heavy in their hands. But then you look up and there's the beast itself, a looming, monstrous presence that casts a shadow over everything. I think there's a conversation happening here between painters, across time, maybe even across dimensions. That's what painting does: it invites us into the dialogue, makes us think, makes us feel, and ultimately, leaves us pondering the big questions.