Welcome to another Fantasy Art Wednesday!

This week I’m sharing an image of Alan Lee’s work. He’s hands down my favorite fantasy artist. I have fond memory of sitting with his Castles book as a teen, just mesmerized by his drawings and watercolors. Not only that, I loved the themes of his work and the stories that went with it, which were mostly classical mythology, legends, and literature: the world of King Arthur, Charlemagne, Norse mythology, Celtic legend, and fairy tales. If you’re familiar with this book, or Alan Lee’s work, you might already know the story behind today’s image. But whether you do or not, it still makes for an intriguing writing prompt.

There is something odd about the ship, with its sails in rags and no visible crew, save the lone man struggling to climb away from it on the rocky shore. He’s soaked through, perhaps weak and tired. But there is certainly determination in his movements…maybe desperation too. This whole image smells of “quest” does it not? What is this place he’s come to? Its staircase and open entrance beckon, but what is waiting for him on the inside?