A comic book artist in coronavirus-ravaged Italy has crafted a set of drawings paying homage to the real-life female heroes of the pandemic. Milo Manara, 74, is spending his time in self-isolation in the hard-hit Veneto region drawing women on the front-lines of the fight against the virus, including medical professionals, police officers and sanitation workers.

“I thought of all those who were most threatened, but also most indispensable, like cleaning ladies,” he told the Washington Post. “I wanted to make them feel less forgotten.” In one drawing captioned “Courage,” a seemingly exhausted nurse leans against a wall, the imprint of a protective mask on her face.