In just 25 days, the new season of HBO’s True Blood comes out …so, I thought I would take a quick look at the set and find out a little bit more about a painting that caught my eye.
Behind Eric Northman, the vampire character portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård, is a painting by Alex Ross.
In the upper left corner of the image above, from True Blood’s Season Three, Episode 9, “Everything is Broken” there is a painting that is hard to miss. It hangs in Fangtasia, the vampire bar in True Blood’s world of Shreveport, Louisiana. The painting depicts George W. Bush as a vampire, sucking the blood and life out of the Statue of Liberty, and was originally published as the cover to New York’s The Village Voice in 2004.
The painting is by famed comic book and graphic novel illustrator, Alex Ross. A fan of Norman Rockwell growing up, Ross has gone on to illustrate for Marvel Comics as well as DC Comics. He has also worked on movies like Spider Man and Unbreakable. He is quoted as saying, “I’ve been called ‘The Norman Rockwell of comics’ more than a hundred times. I’m not going to suggest I’m on the same level as Rockwell, but attempting that sort of realism in my work has always been part of my approach.” I like this comparison of Ross to Rockwell in relation to the use of his painting in True Blood. If Norman Rockwell was depicting the idealized innocence of America, Alex Ross has perfectly portrayed the pure evils of modern society. That’s just the sort of Rockwell Eric Northman would go for.
For a glimpse at the forthcoming season of True Blood, check out CNN’s Marquee Blog or watch this trailer. Season 4 being on June 26 at 9 PM.
Like I said, the furniture.
Upstaged by Design 
Can’t wait for the new season to start, even though I have to watch some of the bloodier scenes through my fingers. And I have to admit that I wouldn’t have noticed that painting behind Eric if you hadn’t pointed it out. Really interesting to learn about it–thanks! I’m going to be watching for it on the show now.