This painting is based on an Egyptian myth. The original myth goes that a lioness-headed goddess, Sekhmet, was sent by Ra to punish mankind for their sins. Sekhmet enjoyed this task a little too much and would have destroyed the world if not for Ra's clever intervention. He transformed all the blood that she spilled into wine. When she went to consume the blood, she got drunk and fell asleep, just short of total destruction.

Can you see the similarity of this myth and Noah's Ark? The principle is the same although the characters are very different.

Anyway, my fevered imagination wondered what would happen if Sekhmet came back for another go. Thus, "The Second Coming".

There is also the side benefit of pissing off the religious right. Isn't that how Mapplethorpe made his millions? ; )