When I look at my Master...

“ ‘My Lord,’ said a dark woman halfway down the table, her voice constricted with emotion, ‘it is an honour to have you here, in our family’s house. There can be no higher pleasure.’
She sat beside her sister, as unlike her in looks, with her dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, as she was in bearing and demeanour; where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned toward Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longing for closeness.”

“Voldemort raised his hand to silence her, and she did not speak another word, but eyed him in worshipful fascination.”

“ ‘My Lord…my Lord…’
It was Bellatrix’s voice, and she spoke as if to a lover.”

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling, 2007.

Given I’m a bit of a fan (understatement of the century) of Sirius, there was no way I could ever really like Bellatrix, however, it always interested me, this particular aspect of her character. As I was recently reminded, ‘there is a little bad in the best of us, and a little good in the worst of us, so it ill behoves any of us to talk about the rest of us.’ – It would appear that Bellatrix has the capacity to love, a power which Dumbledore reminds Harry on more than one occasion, is all important. Although a worshipful love, such as she shows Voldemort, cannot be particularly healthy, especially considering she’s a married woman…

Anyway, I wanted to draw Belatrix in a light she isn’t much seen in. All the paintings and drawings I’ve seen of her are her stronger moments, when she’s attacking, or looking proud and haughty. I wanted to show these moments of weakness, when, should Voldemort say ‘jump’, she would ask only ‘how high?’

Watercolour, gouache and pen, March 2008. I used a couple of reference pictures of Helena Bonham Carter, who I thought was an excellent choice as actress – however, I didn’t stick to them that much. And yes, I know her skin is completely flat – it was meant to be that way.

Thanks for viewing