JCC [Image heavy]A thread for art: See note on page 776

If I ever get back to writing my Russian Super Soldier team, or the Orthodox priest exorcist character, I am diving back into that book. It’s worth the price.

“Hello”

By Leo Hao

https://cdnb1.artstation.com/p/asse.../949/small/leo-hao-h0cx6ldossw.jpg?1403412095

 

Spanish Tercios in Cambodia by EthicallyChallenged

"Spanish Tercios in Cambodia, escorting young Barom Reachea II, along with Japanese mercenaries. Painted for Desperta Ferro Magazine."

 

On the watch before Boukoleon palace by AMELIANVS

"Varangian guardsman standing on the watch before see walls of the Boukoleon palace.Walls of the palace are painted with bright colors as suggested by miniature painting of this site at Madrid Skylitzes manuscript.The same is true for golden or rather goldened(bronze?)statue of the lion and column on which lion stands."

 

From B.P.R.D. 1946






by the way of Scans_Daily

 

Roxana by JFoliveras

"After the capture and execution of the Bactrian usurper king Bessus, Alexander’s next move was to put an end to the resistance in the provinces of Bactria and Sogdiana. A Sogdian nobleman called Oxyartes, along with his wife and daughters, took refuge in a fortress that was believed to be impregnable. The fortress is known today as the Sogdian Rock, as it was located at the top of a mountain near Samarkand. Alexander asked the defenders of the fortress to surrender. They responded by saying that the Macedonian king would need soldiers with wings to capture the fortress. Alexander accepted the challenge. The siege took place during the early spring, with snow and ice still covering the mountainous Sogdian territory. Alexander offered a reward to everyone who volunteered to climb the cliffs to the fortress. Using tent pegs and linen ropes, 300 of Alexander’s men climbed to the mountaintop at night. Then they sent a signal to the main force of the army indicating their success. Alexander sent a messenger to tell the defenders that his winged men had managed to get inside the fortress. The Sogdians couldn’t believe it, and they surrendered without a fight, even though only a few men could enter the fortress and the main force of the army still had no way to reach the mountaintop. This proved that the Sogdian Rock was not as impregnable as it was believed. It was in the Sogdian Rock that Alexander met Roxana, one of Oxyartes’ daughters, and he was captivated by her sparkling eyes and luxuriant hair at first sight. The Greeks regarded Roxana as the most beautiful woman they had seen in Asia, with the only exception of Darius’ wife. Alexander married Roxana despite the opposition from his generals, who didn’t like the fact that the king of Greece married a “barbarian” woman. It was, not only an act of mutual love, but also a clear political move that secured the peace between the Greeks and the easternmost provinces of the Persian Empire, as the long distance from Babylon made these semi-nomadic peoples difficult to keep under control. This allowed Alexander to focus on his next campaign: India. "


king Taxiles by JFoliveras

"While Alexander was still in the Central Asian province of Sogdiana, he received an embassy from an Indian king of the Punjab. The Greeks called him Taxiles, from the name of his capital city, Taxila, but his real name was Ambhi. This Indian king had heard about Alexander, and he wanted to make an offer to him. Ambhi, or Taxiles, was in hostile terms with another king of the Punjab, known today by the Greek name of Porus, although his real name is unknown. Ambhi surrendered to Alexander and offered him several gifts, including a force of 700 Indian warriors and 30 war elephants. In return, he asked Alexander for military assistance against his neighbour Porus. This small contingent of Indian warriors and elephants caused a significant impression on Alexander, and at first, he didn’t know if he could trust them. At the end, Alexander accepted Ambhi’s offer, and he responded by letting him retain his title and by offering him gifts from Persia. Alexander then advanced to India, where Ambhi received him and his army in his capital city of Taxila. Alexander and his Indian ally joined forces to face Porus’ army at the battle of the Hydaspes, at the end of which Ambhi and Porus finally made peace, and Alexander recognised Porus’ bravery by letting him keep his throne as a king and as a “satrap” (governor of a province of the Persian/Macedonian empire).

The Greeks authors that accompanied Alexander in India recorded some practices and traditions that can still be seen today. They recorded strange rituals and holy men that wandered the streets and the forests. At that time, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism may have coexisted in Taxila. The Greeks described how the Indians dressed in colourful unstitched clothes, mostly made of cotton, although silk may have also been known, and how they dyed and applied patterns to their clothes using techniques such as tie-dye and block-printing. They also recorded that Indian men dyed their beards in weird colours (orange, blue, green, purple…). It’s also notorious the impact that the Indian flora and fauna made on the Greeks. They described a land full of crocodiles, poisonous snakes, exotic birds (like peacocks and parrots), elephants (which the natives used for war), giant trees (probably referring to the iconic banyan), and many exotic fruits that were previously unknown to the Greeks (like bananas). "


Indian archer by JFoliveras

"Indian armies of the 4th century BC relied a lot on archers. These archers used human-size bows made of bamboo, and could carry swords of different sizes as a secondary weapon. Some Indian swords were large enough to be used with two hands, something unusual at the time. "


Dandamis by JFoliveras

"Dandamis (name given by the Greeks) was an Indian gymnosophist (naked philosopher) whom Alexander the Great encountered in the woods near Taxila. He seems to have been the leader of an unidentified religious group of naked ascetics who lived in the wilderness, followed a non-violent life and, in some cases, practiced self-immolation by fire. For some reason, the Greeks identified these Indian holy men as philosophers, making a parallelism with the philosophers of their homeland, but it’s hard to tell their religious identity based on Greek sources (some theories say they may have been Hindu brahmins, sadhus, or Digambara Jain monks, or maybe the Greeks put all these in the same pot). Alexander met some of the gymnosophists during his stay in Taxila, and he learned from them about Dandamis, their leader. Alexander then sent one of his countrymen to bring Dandamis to him. Once he had found Dandamis, the Greek messenger informed him that Alexander, son of Zeus, wished to meet him. The messenger also informed Dandamis that Alexander would give him gold and other rewards if he accepted to have a meeting, but if he refused, he could be beheaded. After hearing that, Dandamis didn’t even look at the messenger, and replied by saying that they (the gymnosophists) didn’t love gold nor fear death, that even if they (the Greeks) took away his head, they couldn’t take away his soul, and that he was interested in nothing that the king Alexander could offer him. Dandamis added that he wouldn’t go to see Alexander, that if Alexander wished to talk with Dandamis, he should come to the forest instead. Alexander accepted Dandamis’ offer and came to meet him in the forest, sitting before him for a long talk. Dandamis then asked Alexander why he had come to him, if the Indian ascetic had nothing to offer and nothing to fear, and Alexander responded that he had come to Dandamis to gain wisdom."

 

Liang xing: Wonder Woman:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/NgJRb

 

https://fineartamerica.com/featured...inting-keith-webber-jr.html?product=art-print

 

Andrew Ryan: Visenya, Aegon & Rhaenys Targaryen:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/W88Yv

 

Frazetta:

 

TiNy Truc: Mulan:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/qOlEe

 

Krista Lynn: Cinderella:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/DxBZ2o

 

Queen Gunnhild by JFoliveras

 

Natalie Vasyukova: Anne Boleyn:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/5ZYkW

 

The Last Unicorn, by EranFowler:


Hunting the Wyrm:


Nocturnal Steals the Moon:

 

Harley and Ivy

by Artgerm

 

Elias Chatzoudis: Gotham City Sirens:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/kgWN2

 

Evolution of the Phoenix, by Chris-Karbach:


A House in a Strange Place:


The Ancients:


Elvenar Carnival:


Homecoming:

 

Brittany Pezzillo: Water Elemental:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/ZarmG

 

Valentina Contini: Dolphin Mermaid:

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xzJ4xX