In some of Thompson’s canvases, the artist revisited mythical and allegorical subjects; in others, Christ images, Madonnas, and Christian saints served as vehicles for exploring the battle between good and evil. Enchanted Rider depicts a figure astride a winged steed whose hoofs trample a devil-like monster. The subject may be Pegasus, the flying horse from Greek mythology who defeated the fearsome Chimera, but the faint cross at the center suggests a religious theme. According to legend, St. George held a cross to protect himself when he attacked a dragon that was terrorizing a village. When he slew the dragon and rescued a princess, the town’s citizens adopted Christianity in gratitude.
African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond, 2012
African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond, 2012
- Title
-
Enchanted Rider
- Artist
- Date
- 1961
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 62 3⁄4 x 46 7⁄8 in. (159.5 x 119.0 cm.)
- Credit Line
-
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on canvas
- Classifications
- Keywords
-
- Fantasy – winged being
- Equestrian
- Object Number
-
1975.21
- Palette
- Linked Open Data
- Linked Open Data URI
