The motive for the imperator

A row of blindfolded men in pale robes tilt their heads back, sounding trumpets in unison. Before them sits a heavyset man in a teal-and-gold robe and dark glasses, working a cluster of brass pipes and bells fused into one strange instrument. Beside him a woman in coral fans him with a feather, while an armed soldier in green stands guard, a pale city skyline against a deep blue evening sky.

Rich teal, gold, crimson and cream form a ceremonial palette, the deep red backdrop pushing the pale-robed trumpeters and skyline into silhouette. Smooth, deliberate brushwork and even light lend the invented instrument a believable solidity, and the synchronized gesture of the blowers gives the scene a solemn, theatrical grandeur.