Boris Pelcer's Haunting "Byronic" Illustration Series

(Via)

A Byronic hero is an archetype named after the English poet Lord Byron, who's life's work exemplified this type of character. That man of loneliness and mystery, scarce seen to smile, and seldom heard to sigh. It describes a very specific, and interesting type of character who is typically characterized as lonely, rebellious and brooding, which is a rather popular theme in modern literature.

Milwaukee based illustrator Boris Pelcer set out to create a personal illustration series to visualize his interpretation of Byronic protagonists, afflicted by a personal darkness only known to them. Using plenty of contrast and a rich red color palette, we are given a peek into the world as seen by a Byronic, and it is truly fascinating. As Pelcer best put it in his synopsis of this series: To feel alive it must be in the terrible exaltation of a brief & destructive action (Camus, The Rebel, p.49).