Characters from Bob Dylan Songs Brought to Life by Mark Hamilton

Hollis Brown - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Photographer Mark Hamilton, from New Zealand, has taken characters from Bob Dylan’s lyrics and created dramatic, illustrative portraits for his series The Dylan Songbook. Two-Wheeled Gypsy Queen is inspired by lyrics from Gates of Eden. A man with a shotgun represents the title character from the Ballad of Hollis Brown, who kills his family and himself. Johnny in the Basement is from Subterranean Homesick Blues, while Louise Who Holds a Handful of Rain is from Visions Of Johanna

Other songs have inspired more than one portrait: Jezebel the nun and The Hysterical Bride both come from the song Tombstone Blues. Cinderella, Dr. Filth’s Nurse, and The Fisherman are all inspired by Desolation Row.

If you’re a Dylan fan, you’ll probably either love or hate these photos (depending how closely they match your own interpretation of his lyrics). However, I also think the photos can stand alone as interesting visual works. If you do feel an urge to listen to the songs, as I did, you can also check out the Spotify playlist I created below.

The Two-Wheeled Gypsy Queen - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

The Two-Wheeled Gypsy Queen

 

Hollis Brown - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Hollis Brown

 

Johnny in the Basement - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Johnny in the Basement

 

Jezebel - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Jezebel

 

The Hysterical Bride - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

The Hysterical Bride

 

Cinderella - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Cinderella

 

Dr. Filth's Nurse - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Dr. Filth’s Nurse

 

The Fisherman - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

The Fisherman

 

 

Old Lady - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Old Lady

 

Louise Who Holds a Handful of Rain - The Dylan Songbook - Photo by Mark Hamilton

Louise Who Holds a Handful of Rain

 

 

Tom is a writer, artist, and multi-media guru from Pennsylvania, U.S. He holds a Master's in Journalism and Mass Communication, but he has also taken several university-level courses in fine arts, art appreciation, graphic design, printmaking, and Asian art. He has been blogging for Monde Mosaic since February 2014.

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