Andromède debout et Persée

This painting by Félix Vallotton, dated 1918, depicts a well-known episode from Greek mythology: the rescue of the princess Andromeda by the hero Perseus, who confronts Ceto, a sea monster. Vallotton returned to this story several times across his career, with works from 1910, 1918 and 1925, and in each he moves away from academic tradition. Here Andromeda is not chained to the rock; she stands in profile, seeking Perseus's attention as he rides the winged Pegasus, lance raised. The black sky seems split in two by the hero's figure, revealing a blue that also wraps around the young woman's body. Her skin is a vivid pink, while Ceto is entirely green and looks more like a hybrid, with the front of a bull and the tail of a serpent, than a conventional sea creature. The treatment of the figure and space shows expressionist influences, creating a setting that feels more unsettling than narrative.

Painter

Félix Vallotton

Date

1918

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Dimensions

92 × 73 cm

Genre

mythological painting

Depicts

Perseus, Andromeda

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