Dragon Prince 1984

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by this painting's raw vulnerability clashing with such an imposing fantasy element. Editor: Indeed. Here we have Boris Vallejo’s “Dragon Prince,” rendered in acrylic paint in 1984. A rather compelling example of fantasy art that embraces romantic and erotic themes. Curator: "Embraces" is an interesting word choice, considering the, dare I say, slimy embrace happening between this figure and… well, the dragon? There’s something unsettling about it, beyond the obvious power dynamic. Is she resisting, or is this a weird kind of acceptance? Editor: Ah, there's where the symbols offer insight. Dragons in various cultures represent primal power, chaos, but also wisdom and good fortune. Note the serpentine dragon tattooed on the figure's thigh. Perhaps she isn't just accepting this dragon, perhaps she is one with dragons or possesses them. It speaks to the age-old artistic fascination with beauty and the beast. It is all open for interpretation of the individual viewer! Curator: It's impossible not to think about the archetype of the "femme fatale". Is Vallejo subverting it, maybe suggesting an underlying strength in the figure, even dominance? Or are we merely caught up in familiar narratives of female powerlessness? Editor: Vallejo was clearly tapping into deeper myths about transformation, about the beast within. It's potent stuff, playing with primordial fears and desires. And of course the romantic undercurrent of "beauty taming the beast". That really pulls at a certain cultural memory of these narratives. Curator: But also, those exaggerated flourishes - that glossy, airbrushed skin, the cartoonish reptile… aren’t we bordering on the ridiculous? Can we even take the “dark undercurrent” seriously when it is presented with such an outlandish style? Editor: Is there really supposed to be a beast when viewing it? This is not always literal—often a symbolic depiction of unconscious forces. So perhaps, is this outlandish style itself pointing toward a surreal exploration of our deeper instincts and attractions? Maybe our fears? Curator: Okay, you've given me a lot to chew on. At the very least, it proves that this work doesn't offer easy answers. Editor: Precisely. Instead it's a mirror reflecting back our own tangled, fascinating human nature.