Bellerophon and Pegasus 1790 - 1844

Curator: I'm immediately struck by the subdued mood, a quiet, almost melancholy air pervading this seemingly classical scene. Editor: Indeed. This is Bertel Thorvaldsen's pencil drawing "Bellerophon and Pegasus," created sometime between 1790 and 1844. What resonates so profoundly is its engagement with a timeless myth. Bellerophon, tamer of the winged horse Pegasus, stands here not in triumph, but with a somber contemplation. Curator: The line work too… it's remarkably understated. See how he uses such delicate hatching to define the musculature, the drape of the cloak? There's a fragility to the rendering itself. Almost as though this moment of glory is slipping away. Editor: Exactly! The figure of Pegasus, head bowed as if drinking from an unseen spring, underscores this introspective mood. The myth of Bellerophon, often read as a cautionary tale against hubris, is certainly activated here. He attempts to fly to Mount Olympus and is cast down to Earth. There is cultural memory imprinted here, echoing ideas about pride and downfall, resonating even today. Curator: Semiotically, then, consider the landscape… the virtual absence of it! This allows us to concentrate on form, which isolates and elevates it at the expense of depth, leaving the central relationship emotionally naked. Editor: But there's a certain vulnerability. These aren’t simply idealized forms, but figures burdened by narrative weight. Pegasus doesn't just represent freedom and inspiration, but also carries a mythos about thwarted ambition. Note how his wings seem to barely fit inside the frame. Curator: True. Thorvaldsen isn't just recreating classical ideals; he's interrogating them. The Neoclassical style here gets disrupted, made introspective and uneasy. It certainly isn’t all pristine clarity; here the psychological complexity eclipses simplistic idealism. Editor: It is a surprisingly sensitive, even poignant interpretation of an archetypal image. Curator: Yes, seeing the potential to revisit history’s myths allows us to create fresh understandings.