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Enchanted Rider

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@ Smithsonian American Art Museum

Description

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
Type:
Image
Format:
Oil On Canvas
Rights:
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection
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Record Contributed By

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Record Harvested From

Smithsonian Institution