OLD GODS 19-24

Old Gods is a series of illustrations about Finnish wildlife and the myths and beliefs related to different animals. The ancient Finnish worldview has many animistic features, one of the most prominent being the belief that humans are kin to other animals. Some animals were believed to be so close to humans that transmigration of the soul was possible. For this and many other reasons animals were respected, some even worshipped, and they were believed to possess spiritual power.

In this series I explore the mystical nature of the most important animals in Finnish folklore. Each animal is portrayed in a way an ancient Finn could have seen them.