"Modesty"
As always, your comments will add fuel to the fires of passion burning within me.
High quality for download
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Congratulations on a remarkably fine execution, Emily! There are features of 'Modesty' which are characteristic of classic mp5stab styling - particularly the tension in the hands and facial expressions of both figures, and the subtle highlight on the ponytail. But we are now seeing these details as part of a highly refined image.
The oblique, low elevation, setting sun casts both figures in a dramatic light. Two of the nail heads present a glint of bright metal, and the bloodstains indicate that all four nails were driven with the complete cross assembled on the ground. The shape of the cross shows ominously dark against the sky, with a contrasting highlight facing the sun.
The crucified girl's left side is highlighted against the shade of the cross, and her right side is in dense shadow against the lighter, evening sky. The combination of light and shade delineates her abdominal muscular tension, and the result is a commendably convincing scene.
The composition presents further contrasts - bright sunshine is combined with stormy clouds, heralding the onset of darkness. This is a brief moment in time, captured with a photographic, shallow depth of field. The heavy clothing of one girl accentuates the nudity of the other. The fabric weave is beautifully defined by the same lighting which places the shadows of the wearer's fingers between the shadows of the crucified legs and cross.
There seems to be a lot of horizontal light being exploited to produce these effects. The title may be ironic, since the character interaction is limited to the clothed figure gazing at the genital region of the naked girl. The realism is beautifully achieved and so effective, I am wondering if the crucified figure is based on a particular model?