"Afternoon Of Life" : Original Artwork by Karien Bredenkamp
"Afternoon Of Life" : Mat Boards that Original and Limited Edition Prints get shipped in

"Afternoon Of Life"

$35.00
Print Or Original?:Limited Edition Print
Quantity:
Only 49 units left

Prints: Limited edition of 50

About The Artwork:

"Afternoon Of Life" is a mystical black and white illustration that captures the soul of transformation through the timeless figure of Isis—the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic, healing, motherhood, and mystery. Known as the divine weaver who reassembled the fragmented Osiris, Isis is the archetypal symbol of regeneration and sacred power. She embodies the feminine force that restores life, not by force, but by wisdom, intuition, and deep love. In this whimsical black and white art piece, she is more than myth—she is midlife incarnate: a guide through inner rebirth.

Isis’s form is woven into the shape of an ankh, the ancient Egyptian symbol of life and eternal return. Traditionally interpreted as a key to the afterlife or the union of masculine and feminine energies, the ankh also represents the threshold between worlds—the spiritual and the material, the known and the mysterious. In this sketch, the ankh becomes a living altar. Its horizontal bars are stylized as hands with wings, signifying release, upliftment, and the sacred offering of one’s truth. The bottom part of the ankh contains hieroglyphics spelling the name Isis, anchoring the piece in divine identity. A scarab beetle is nestled below, invoking transformation, resurrection, and the perpetual journey of the soul as it rolls forward through cycles of death and rebirth.

Atop Isis’s figure sits a diamond, cut and honed by time—a metaphor for clarity, resilience, and inner value revealed through life’s pressure. It marks the brilliance found not in youth but in the fire-forged wisdom of one who has walked through shadow and emerged whole.

Inspired by Carl Jung’s concept of the 'Afternoon of Life', this illustration symbolizes the moment when outward achievement gives way to the inner task of self-realization. Like Isis reassembling what was broken, this stage of life calls us to integrate all we’ve lived through, all we’ve lost, and all we still are. “Afternoon Of Life” becomes a visual meditation on the journey of midlife—not as a descent, but as an ascent into depth and truth.

Whether seen as a spiritual emblem, a mythic mirror, or a poetic reflection of personal evolution, this black and white illustration offers a rich tapestry of meaning for those navigating their own sacred turning point.

"Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another." ― Toni Morrison

What do you see?

I am a collector of interpretations - if you have a unique explanation of what any of my illustrations mean to you, please submit it here:

Submit Art Interpretation