The Labrador 1958

Remedios Varo created this enigmatic painting, ‘The Labrador,’ employing symbolic imagery to explore themes of identity and inner transformation. Note the peculiar headpiece, a landscape sprouting vegetation, resembling both a mask and a second skin. This motif echoes the Green Man, a figure found in various cultures, representing the cycle of life and nature's regenerative power. The branches emerging from the head could symbolize thoughts or connections to the world. Consider, too, the somber gaze and masked eyes of the subject, evoking feelings of concealment, perhaps hinting at hidden aspects of the self, or the subconscious psychological layers beneath outward appearances. Such imagery taps into the collective unconscious. It reminds us that the boundaries between ourselves and the external world are permeable. The artist prompts us to reflect on how we construct and present our identities, and the role nature plays in that construction. This symbol invites a contemplation of how, across time, the symbols transform and transcend to convey new meanings.