Evil Queens

The bad guy is essential to a fairy tale.  All plots really need conflict, but since folk and fairy tales are almost cultural distillations of the eternal story, the antagonist is even more important.  They need to be large and in charge, or subtle and competent.  They need to be real and unreal at the same time.  None of that ridiculous exposition.  Otherwise they cannot serve as such good foils for our heroes to overcome!

This post if going to focus on the evil queen.  Spurned, trodden on, a failed heroine, or any number of back stories can be thought up, but usually never revealed.  Bad guys exist in a vacuum. 

From Wen-JR (site), comes a scarred beauty who has assumed her own power.

ROD_GRIFFIN_THRONE

This next one could be the moment of birth for an evil queen.  The moment when heroine turned away from happily ever after and resigned to having to steal others share of happiness, her own eternally denied.  Illustrated by Kay Nielsen.

Last is a delightfully wicked image of a witchy woman.  Her glee and passion very much remind me of the the antagonist as their plot comes to together.  The 'Bwahaha' moment if you will.  I like the supernatural elements that mess with the slight sexuality of the figure.  Very reminiscent of the selling you soul trope.  The illustration is by Sergius Hruby for a German Magazine.

Desecration

Darkness in Fairytales

This will be a topic that gets rehashed repeatedly, I'm sure, as will fluffy bunnies and cotton candy.

 This photo is by Li Hui.  The haunting figure is reminiscent of the tragic heroine, young, innocent and brutally treated.  The glowing figure could be a vengeful ghost or a seductive selkie.

 This fabulous bride is a group project from Niroir Noir.  The horror and destruction of what should be a joyous occasion is highlighted by the stark color palette and the chunky brushstrokes.  This one reminds me of Bluebeard's newest wife.

The next piece by Anselm Kiefer is a simple interior, but the brooding colors cast an air of foreboding on the scene.  The horizon fades on us, which is unusual for an interior space.  This manipulation of the environment creates a rather surreal environment.  To me it could easily be the Ice Queen's throne room, or the White Witch's hall,  but I'm not sure Jadis would go for the clerestory windows.