Ugolino and His Sons

Elena Frost offers a contemporary reinterpretation of Carpeaux’s renowned sculptural group, shifting the historic narrative of anguish toward a vision of protection and shared resilience. Painted in hyperrealist oil with luminous, layered glazes, the scene replaces marble rigidity with living warmth—light tracing the contours of each figure as if revealing a pulse beneath the surface. What was once frozen in despair becomes an intimate moment of human connection, where quiet strength replaces agony and tenderness rises from tragedy. Through careful attention to texture, temperature, and subtle atmospheric glow, Elena reframes classical sorrow into a contemplative portrait of unity. This painting received an Honorable Mention in Teravarna’s 10th Figurative International Juried Exhibition.