The artwork titled “Minotaur is wounded, horse and personages” is a mythological painting by Pablo Picasso, created in 1936. Rendered as an etching on paper, it forms part of the renowned “Vollard Suite” and is emblematic of the Surrealism movement. Currently, this piece is housed within the collection of the Musée Picasso in Paris, France.
Examining the artwork, one observes a dynamic composition featuring a mythological creature, the Minotaur, in a state of distress or wounding. Standing prominently in the foreground, the Minotaur is depicted in an anguished pose, seemingly overwhelmed by its injuries. To the Minotaur’s side, a horse appears animated and unsettled, possibly rearing in response to the chaotic or tense atmosphere this scene portrays. Accompanying these mythological entities are various human personages whose forms and gestures suggest that they are witnesses to or participants in the unfolding drama. Their exact roles and reactions are open to interpretation, but they add to the narrative complexity and emotional depth of the scene.
The composition exudes the tension and conflict characteristic of such mythological encounters, imbued with the distinctive stylistic elements that are signature to Picasso’s works from this period. With fluid line work and an expressive interplay of forms, Picasso captures the gravity of the mythological narrative, offering a visual exploration of struggle, vulnerability, and the human condition as reflected through these legendary figures.
