La Sacerdotisa (2025) Original Oil Painting by Bonifacio Contreras Tovar.

"La Sacerdotisa" (The Priestess) is a powerful figurative work inspired by ancient Greek spirituality and devotion to the goddess of animals (Potnia Theron / Artemis). The painting portrays a priestess enveloped in soft, luminous drapery, standing barefoot at the threshold between the sacred sanctuary and the primordial wild.

At her feet, a dark serpent glides across the light platform—symbolizing the instinctual, earthly force of non-human nature—while an archaic statue emerges subtly from the background shadows, evoking ancient memory, ritual, and divine presence. Through a masterful use of tenebrism and chiaroscuro light, the scene balances sacred silence, human vulnerability, and our deep, ancestral connection to the animal kingdom.

Materials used:

óleo, lienzo, madera.

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 59 x 79 x 2cm (unframed) / 59 x 79cm (actual image size)
• Signed certificate of authenticity
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: Animals and birds