Wally Woodfury

Wally Woodyfury is a Woodwose or wildman of the woods. He is a mythical figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe,... more

by Rick Mosher

Title

Wally Woodfury

Artist

Rick Mosher

Medium

Digital Art

Description

Wally Woodyfury is a Woodwose or "wildman of the woods". He is a mythical figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe, comparable to the satyr or faun type in classical mythology and to Silvanus, the Roman god of the woodlands.

The defining characteristic of the figure is its "wildness"; from the 12th century they were consistently depicted as being covered with hair. Images of wild men appear in the carved and painted roof bosses where intersecting ogee vaults meet in the Canterbury Cathedral, in positions where one is also likely to encounter the vegetal Green Man. The image of the wild man survived to appear as supporter for heraldic coats-of-arms, especially in Germany, well into the 16th century. Renaissance engravers in Germany and Italy were particularly fond of wild men.

Wally Woodfury resides by the Truckee River in Reno Nevada near Fishermans Park and has a very sharp wit. He is patterned after my friend
Wally O. who graciously posed for the source photos.

Uploaded

November 24th, 2016