The next piece in the Underworld illustration series is none other than Charon, the ferryman who guides souls across the river Styx – but this rendition is a bit different. What if instead of a grizzled older man it was a middle-aged lady? Inspired by a real-life story of a friend providing a death doula service, I believe that Charon can take on a different meaning in a similar context.
The Story
A filmmaker and former script supervisor friend of mine named Claire is loyal and always willing to step up for her friends. One of her closest colleagues in the business, Amy, was involved in a serious car crash. Before she passed, Amy’s family and coworkers were able to visit her in the hospital. Thanks to Claire’s efforts, the moments leading up to Amy’s death and those after were filled with grace, patience, and warmth. She effectively guided the family through the grieving process, even as she was shouldering the pain herself.
This iteration of Charon represents Claire’s journey during this time and so the lantern is a key symbolic item to show her acting as a guiding light. Some depictions of Charon from classical Greek mythology show the character as cold, unfeeling, or angry. Here I’d like to warp that into something more compassionate.
The Sketches
Early sketches for this one sees Charon directing her gaze towards the audience but I ended up opting for a more three quarters/profile view.
Claire was kind enough to model for the piece and so I’ll be utilizing her likeness directly in the final illustration. Below is one more quick sketch:
Stay tuned for more updates on this project. I’ll keep posting here on the blog and over on my social media channels like YouTube.
Keep telling stories,
Jeremy