2023-12-19 21:18:47 ¶ ●

Harrowhark Nonagesimus herself!!

For these portraits (I already finished Corona and Ianthe) I’m picture them at the beginning of the first book. They were meant to be the type of portraits you find in the big halls of a noble house but since that kind of thing doesn’t really suit Harrow or the Ninth House at all…this one is more allegorical.

I prefer it when people come up with their own interpretation of my work but just in case some of you are curious here’s what I was thinking when I painted this:

Harrow is the very young (and malnourished) heir of a dying house, hence the traditional headpiece and veil being torn apart by moths. Behind her, the withered nuns that populate Drearburh watch expectantly, putting all the weight of keeping the house alive on her. She is their miracle after all, the one who is supposed to save them.

Part of the background is covered by embalming bandages. They’re just there, for now, but they’re slowly covering everything up. They’re running out of time.

However, the fabric of the veil she’s holding vaguely resembles the shape of two wings. A small, subtle message of hope.