Griffin #1, print of original drawing, griffin, fantasy, Greek mythology, abstract, order contemporary, modern, pencil, drawing, graphite

This piece is a beautifully shaded print from an original drawing by artist, Elizabeth Stempien.
The original artwork was drawn and meticulously shaded in graphite, and printed on high quality, acid free, lightly textured 110 lb. weight paper.
This piece was inspired by my interest and fascination of mythical creatures, specifically the Griffin, in Greek mythology. The term, Griffin, is from the Latin, Gryphus, meaning “curved” referring to the beak of the Griffin. This mythological creature features the head, beak and wings of an order eagle (the king of birds), and the body, back legs and tail of a lion (the king of beasts). Griffins were frequently used as gargoyles on medieval churches and buildings. The Griffin was also a favorite decorative motif in the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures.
I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I did creating it!