In Victory 2003

Editor: We are looking at "In Victory" by Boris Vallejo, painted in 2003 using oil paints. There’s this powerful, almost classical feel to the woman standing on the slain dragon, like something out of an ancient myth. How would you interpret this piece? Curator: It's important to note that Vallejo's work often leans into the mass-produced realm of fantasy illustration. Consider the means of production. Oil paints lend themselves to this highly rendered, almost photographic realism, but the subject matter caters to a very specific market. How does the hyper-sexualization of the female figure, constructed through the painting's materiality and technique, speak to broader power structures within fantasy art's consumption? Editor: So, you’re suggesting the material choices are not just artistic but also part of a commercial appeal? Curator: Precisely. The smooth, almost airbrushed quality of the paint application, the meticulous detail in rendering her physique and golden adornments... These choices heighten the sense of the fantastic, of course, but they also function to create a product, designed for a very specific kind of consumption. What labor went into this to achieve that polished look? What are the social implications of these representations? Editor: I see what you mean. The oil paint allows for a photorealistic effect that meets the consumer’s expectations of that idealized, heroic form. It's less about artistic expression and more about a highly skilled manufacturing of an image. Curator: Exactly. It compels us to reflect on fantasy art and how its materiality helps normalize certain ideals and perceptions of the body. We must also consider the role of the artist within this chain of production – the skills deployed to fulfill a demand. Editor: That is fascinating; looking at it through this lens definitely changes my perspective. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure; materiality reveals so much if we learn to read it critically.