The Old Castle

For the project Pictures at an Exhibition, I decided to draw a picture depicting what I feel when I hear The Old Castle, which is movement II of the Pictures at an Exhibition Suite. Out of the 10 movements in this piece I chose The Old Castle because the song gives me chills. While the original piece is about a medieval troubadour singing on the grounds of an old castle, I thought the piece to be about an old castle, far from any other kingdoms that has since been torn down by huge battles.

In my drawing I drew the castle as ruins overlooking a green valley. Below that castle is a huge ghost-like army, with huge creatures and terrifying half dead soldiers. These soldiers have long since passed, and show the history of the castle, with a king standing above it all, overlooking the destruction of his home. While the ruins of the castle look fairly bright and happy, with nearly clear skies overhead, the battle just below is red and bloody. This differentiates past from present, once grand to ruins. This piece is meant to make you feel grief for a castle long since gone, and that is what I have tried to depict in my artwork.