Coq d'or 1945

Alfred Bendiner's "Coq d'Or" presents us with a vibrant procession rendered in stark red against a white ground, immediately evoking the pomp and circumstance of a royal parade. Central to this image is the king in his carriage, a figure of authority, yet seemingly frail and dependent on the very spectacle he commands. Consider the king's crown and scepter. Such symbols of power echo through millennia, from ancient Egyptian pharaohs to medieval monarchs. Note how, despite the supposed might they represent, the king's bewildered expression hints at the disquiet beneath the surface. This paradox speaks volumes about the human condition, where authority is as much a burden as it is a privilege. The presence of the wizard and the peculiar design of the soldiers' armor serve as cultural artifacts, reminders of our collective past, resonating in our subconscious, reminding us that the themes of power, illusion, and vulnerability are eternally intertwined.