Perseus and Andromeda

The present lot demonstrates Edmund Dulac's ability to transform well-known narratives and re-appropriate traditional motifs in his illustrations. Ovid's story in Metamorphoses of Perseus, the demi-god who rescues Andromeda from the sea monster, has classical connotations as it was popularised by the artists of the Renaissance. Dulac draws upon these compositions, whilst also infusing the work with a non-western style: the sea creature is reminiscent of designs on late Ming blue and white crockery. Dulac re-defines and questions the imagery associated with Perseus and Andromeda, whilst maintaining the narrative of the scene.