Andromeda 1943

Andre Masson rendered this Andromeda with mixed media on paper. Here, we see Andromeda's plight as an exercise in primal fear. Consider her eyes, those dual orbs of dread which appear to be a motif, reappearing time and again in various mythologies as a symbol of paralyzing horror. Think of Medusa, whose gaze could turn men to stone, or the all-seeing Argus, his hundred eyes ever watchful. The recurring theme speaks to humanity's deep-seated anxiety about being watched, judged, and potentially petrified by forces beyond our control. The swirling lines that ensnare Andromeda evoke a sense of chaos and entrapment, much like the labyrinthine structures found in ancient Minoan art. This universal symbol embodies the psychic tension between vulnerability and exposure, reflecting our subconscious terrors through Andromeda's eternal suffering. It is a narrative etched in our collective memory, resurfacing through art, perpetually evoking feelings of dread.