Through the Eyes of Antiquity… Lucas Ruggieri Illustration

Serpents, anthropomorphized animals, beastly humans, gods and goddesses are some of the inspirations that take root in the mind of Lucas Ruggieri, and make for the magnificent pen and ink illustrations he transcribes onto paper. While these are subjects that capture the imagination of so much of humanity, not many of us can bring them to life with the beauty and movement that Ruggieri does. He works with mythical figures from across many cultures, pulling from classical texts and aural legends that span the many cultures that have flourished on earth. Norse mythology manifests in Legacy of Thor and Jörmungandr, Mahakali features the Hindu goddess of death, plus Ruggieri pulls from Lovecraft, Ovid, antiquity and the Bible to bring his characters to life. All of his work emphasizes elements of nature, be it animal or plant life, and there’s a sense of movement and growth, roots stretching and tentacles unfolding to spread beyond the borders of the page they are contained in. He has both screen prints and original artwork available for purchase, and I can only imagine how striking and captivating his work is in person. To date he has worked with the likes of Maryland Deathfest, Kylesa, Black Tusk, Cough, Kadavar, Dragged Into Sunlight, Ghoul, Nunslaughter and more.  Check out a selection of his work below, available in the CVLT Nation Bizarre and in his own webstore.