Italian pencil artist Marco Mazzoni‘s work goes far beyond technical perfection. His representation of historical healing women is enigmatic and sublime. Often leaving the eyes blank or covered with an abundance of birds, butterflies and flowers, he gives the impression of a deeper inward focused sight, as well as obscuring the identity of the individual. Many female healers in the past – both medicine woman and midwives – were brutally persecuted by religion, some even burnt as witches… Mazzoni’s work captures their deep connection with nature and their innate power and femininity with delicacy and beautiful detail.

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

Figurines representing French Brigade of Lancers are seen on a 40-square-metre miniature model of the June 18, 1815 Waterloo battlefield, in Diest, Belgium, in this picture taken on April 29, 2015. Waterloo enthusiast Willy Smout said he spent 40,000 hours and around 150,000 euros over the past 40 years, to recreate the battlefield as closely as possible in a purpose-built room in his house. (Photo by Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Jan Agha, 49, an Afghan hunter, tries to catch his crane at a field in Bagram, Parwan province, Afghanistan on April 10, 2019. As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets. (Photo by Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

A foreign passenger wearing a protective suit poses as they prepare for their flight at Manila's International Airport, Philippines, Monday, January 18, 2021. Coronavirus infections in the Philippines have surged past 500,000 in a new bleak milestone with the government facing criticisms for failing to immediately launch a vaccination program amid a global scramble for COVID-19 vaccines. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)

Supporters of Fernando Haddad react to a supporter (in yellow) of Jair Bolsonaro during a runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on October 28, 2018. Bolsonaro, a brash far-right congressman who has waxed nostalgic for Brazil's old military dictatorship, won the presidency of Latin America's largest nation Sunday as voters looked past warnings that the former army captain would erode democracy and embraced a chance for radical change after years of turmoil. (Photo by Sergio Moraes/Reuters)

Girls in swimsuits participate in the Grelka Fest at the ski resort Sheregesh in Tashtagolsky District of Kemerovo Oblast, Russia on April 15, 2018. Skiers and snowboarders from around the world marked the end of the 2017-18 winter season. Wearing bikinis and bathing shorts a total of 1,525 claimed a new Russian record for the daring downhill escapade – in a temperature of around 5ºC. In fact, more have taken part in this GrelkaFest event in the past, but not during an official record attempt. (Photo by Kemerovo Online/The Siberian Times)

Will Burrard-Lucas takes a photo while a Meerkat perches on his lens on January 2014 in Makgadikgadi, Botswana. These adorable Meerkats used a photographer as a look out post before trying their hand at taking pictures. The beautiful images were caught by wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas after he spent six days with the quirky new families in the Makgadikgadi region of Botswana. Will has photographed Meerkats in the past and was delighted when he realised he would be shooting new arrivals. (Photo by Will Burrard-Lucas/Barcroft Media)

P.S. All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture (if available; this principle works anywhere on the site AvaxNews)