A man bent by grief. A horse offering comfort.

“Hero’s Lament” tells of the profound bond between human and animal, drawing inspiration from a moving moment in the epic poems Iliad, when Achilles – devastated by the loss of his beloved Patroclus – finds fraternal solace in his horses.

In the painting, the horse grows in scale, as if seeking to envelop the man within its consoling embrace. There are no words – only a silent gesture of protection and closeness, almost one of tender care.