December 25, 2010

The Art of the Bride : Isabel Samaras



Here’s a holiday-appropriate nativity scene, monster magi in attendance. A second piece shows The Bride with a cherubic child. Two fabulous illustrations by Isabel Samaras.

In Isabel Samaras’ beautiful and witty art, pop culture characters meet the Old Masters. Goldilocks and the Gilligan gang channel Ingres. Batman, Robin and Catwoman evoke Rubens. Zira of the Planet of the Apes appears as a modern Madonna with chimpanzee child. Elvis, a pill-popping martyr, is borne away by angels. Universal Monsters — and Universal’s Munsters — are rendered as biblical iconography.

Samaras shows a distinct favoritism for Frankenstein’s Monster and his fabulous Bride. Among numerous interpretations, The Monster appears Saint-like, and The Bride rises from the sea on a Botticelli half-shell. Together, they are seen clinching in erotic fervor.

I could easily have filled this last week’s worth of daily posts just with Samaras’ Frankenstein paintings, every single one of them a perfect little masterpiece in its own right. I’ll be revisiting Samaras, here, in the coming weeks and months. There’s so much to admire.

Simply said: Among Frankenstein artists, Isabel Samaras is the Queen of them all.


An art book, On Tender Hooks, and a Postcard book.
Isabel Samaras’ website and blog.
An interview with Samaras via Fangoria.


1 comment:

Lina Thomlinson said...

That nativity scene is just precious!