Lot 179 email save

William Blaney (1917-1986) Seven Headed Lion Beast

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c. 1960. Oil on canvas. Image: 18"w x 24" h Framed: 23" w x 29" h. Provenance: Purchased from the Phyllis Kind Gallery, NY. The Jonathan Demme Collection. Est. $15,000 - 20,000. Ship: $50 Illustrated on page 89 of ‘I Made This Jar,’ published by the McKissick Museum, University of South Carolina. Rev. 13: And I stood upon the sand and sea, and saw a beast rise out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. Blaney, a part time preacher, visually captures the imagery of Revelations 13. The beast has the body of a leopard and a lion’s head - not just one head, but seven with ten horns which are all crowned. Behind the beast is a red dragon with seven stars at this tail. Fire is shooting out of his mouth. The sea as indicated by Rev. is being swallowed up. The fascination with this Apocolyptic imagery in the African American community stems from both a deep religious belief and also an equally deep feeling that they have been sinned against by being held slaves. The wrath of God would come down and all would eventually face Judgement Day

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