This painting shows Ramses II as he becomes Pharaoh, in a state of reflection.

From the Movie, Ramses experiences burdensome tension between upholding the dynasty left by his father Pharaoh Seti I and acting as an individual with selfish intentions. Here, selfish doesn't necessarily imply anything negative. I am referring to selfishness as Ramses acting outside the expectations of being the Morning and Evening Star of Egypt. 

The grey background emphasizes so much of Ramses' tragedy, stemming from his inability to navigate the grey areas of life. I tried to recreate this "in between" theme throughout every aspect of this painting. 

First, let's look at his hands. His right hand has outstretched fingers facing himself. This is to symbolize his self reflections or self prioritizations in a powerful and confident way. In fact, the entire right side of his body is more extended and visible than his left side, suggesting he's very concerned about doing the "right" thing. 

In contrast, the left side of his body is much more hidden and compact. His heart is concealed by so many things: his golden neck piece, his left leg, and his left hand. This can be interpreted in two ways: restriction or protection. Ramses either restricted his feelings from surfacing, or he was trying (and ultimately failed) to protect his heart from breaking. 

His left hand, though it seems relaxed, is meant to balance the power that his right hand exudes. Again, the theme behind this painting is the tension of exploring opposing identities and navigating grey areas. A relaxed hand could also be interpreted as uncertainty or as not being conscious. 

This is the dualistic nature of consciousness., to be focused on one thing is to naturally be unconscious of other things. Ramses eventually prioritizing his duties as Pharaoh meant ignoring Moses' warnings about the consequences regarding enslaving the Hebrews. 

The gold wrapped around his neck and arms symbolize that he has already become Pharaoh in the eyes of the Egyptian people, but he isn't wearing the traditional Nemes, the headdress, yet. Most head coverings in religious contexts symbolize a deep reverence and humility, an acknowledgement that Someone / Something Greater exists above us. Because this painting showcases a transition stage for Ramses, his exposed head highlights that he still contemplates what needs to be done, for his own sake. 

One of my favorite scenes from the Movie is the second scene, where Moses and Ramses are ordered to see their father, Pharaoh Seti I, after raising havoc throughout the city. Here's the breakdown:

Pharaoh Seti (to Ramses): Do you understand the task for which your birth has destined you? The ancient traditions? When I pass into the next world, then YOU will be the Morning and Evening Star.

Ramses: One damaged temple does not destroy centuries of tradition.

Pharaoh Seti (raising his voice and pointing at Ramses): But one weak link can break the chain of a mighty dynasty!

Originally, I considered painting a chain around one of his wrists to symbolize this conversation, for a metaphysical "weak link" reference. 

I still wanted to find a way to showcase this particular conversation in the painting, so I decided to highlight the "damaged temple" part, to a degree. The structure you see in the painting is the base of Ramses' obelisk at the Luxor Temple. 

Ramses sitting atop the base of the obelisk shows exactly this transition period: the foundation has been set, but the rest of the story is yet to be written. Another symbol it holds, though, is foreshadowing the destruction... If you think of the end of the Movie and apply it here, his story comes full circle (which further explores the concept of Fate, the larger philosophical theme throughout this entire collection). 

Lastly, the other dualistic aspect of the obelisk is that part of it is bathed in light, though the majority is draped in shadow. This symbolism is obvious and mirrors that of Ramses' body language.