This week’s featured artist is David Guardado. There’s a lot going on so behold!

And check out more of his work on Facebook .

Ordo, Ba, Chao

The Beautiful Ones

Alter Boy

Do It All Night

One of Us

Familiars

S.C.U.B.A.

Ignorance is Bliss

Maximilian Pirner was a Czech painter who lived between 1854-1924. His favourite artistic subjects were of the macabre variety, mythological topics (particularly Medusa) and nude ladies.

Here is a sampling of his work.

Girl in Her Nightie Walk on the Window-Ledge

Series Mythological Misalliances

Series Mythological Misalliances 1890

Allegory of Death 1895

Finis (The End of All Things) 1893

The End of All Things detail 1893

Medusa 1891

Hekate 1893

Daemon Love 1893

1866

Originally posted on Le Marche Morte .

I’m fascinated by the concept of a folie a deux , which is when two people who’d otherwise by law-abiding citizens, become criminals when with one particular other person. See Juliet Hume and Pauline Parker, Leopold and Loeb, the Papin Sisters, etc.

So I really enjoyed these paintings by Kazuki Takamatsu, of a pair of girls that are clearly going to wreck someone’s day. Possibly yours.

Being me, I made up a little story to go with my favourites.

First, they meet and discover they have things in common. Ominous music plays in the background.

After discovering an affinity for weaponry…

They begin accessorizing and hovering above the ground.

Then they take up playing with sharp things… in the fog.

After a trip to the local BAMF shop they walk into town.

Then the screaming begins.

The end.

A few others for you:

Takamatsu’s homepage.

A Juztapoz article on his methods.

As evidenced by the gallery page of Vanitas paintings, I’m rather a fan of the macabre and beautiful still lifes. I find the warmth and depth of the paintings appealing.

Whilst building my gallery page, I came across some modern Vanitas art. For example, the person who did the piece above, Kevin Best , does amazing work .

Likewise lovely:

‘Vanitas’ Kalico the Kat