When Winter Fell

When Winter Fell:  All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, The acts within seven great houses will be played. At first, the Half-Man, drinking and drooling in the comfort of a brothel. The concubine quiets his tears, laying his thoughts to rest. Then the whining First-Born with his crown and rosy cheeks, creeps his way like a slimy snail to a position of power and authority. And the Lover burning like a furnace for his sister’s touch, willing to kill for her affection. The things he will do for love. Then a Soldier full of great oaths; committed to her duty, sworn to honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, devoted to a house of the North. A Simpleton, though great in stature, slow and lumbering, carries a mystic seer like a modest servant, in a pouch on his back. His big manly voice shrieks a command, “Hold the door!” as his options are closing and so he plays his part. The curtain falls and the frigid wind finds its way in. The Maester with all his age and wisdom can’t ward this winter from coming, no matter the warnings, the time has come. Last scene of all, that ends this cold eventual history, they lose it all; sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. Norman Rockwell’s “No Swimming” is the art history parallel that mirrors the characters running in the foreground. All was perfect in their world until right then; they got caught. The cold world will punish them for their trespass. The signs were clear and the rules established but now the snow begins to fall. The winter will undoubtedly claim many victims.   Characters: (from left to right) Eagrette, Brienne of Tarth, Hodor, Jeoffrey, Cersei, Petyr Baelish (Little Finger), Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Lord Varys (The Spider), Melisandre, Sandor Clegane (The Hound), Tyrion Lannister (The Half Man), Jorah Mormont, Lady O'Lenna Tyrell   Foreground: 3-eyed Raven, Samwell Tarley, Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Jaime Lannister This listing is for one digital reproduction. The original painting is acrylic on wood panel. Printed on high quality archival photographic luster paper.  Prints are hand signed in black ink. Print includes approximately 2” white border. Standard size for framing.   Colors may vary only slightly in terms of brightness & contrast due to customer monitor variations.