Thiassi Abducting Idunn 1987

Boris Vallejo made this painting, called Thiassi Abducting Idunn, with oils, and a pretty controlled hand. Look at the way that eagle is clutching the woman! And the way the muscles are painted - it's so physical, so real. I wonder if Vallejo was thinking about stories like Leda and the Swan? It's hard not to think about that. The surface feels really smooth, almost like glass, but I bet if you got close you'd see little tiny brushstrokes. There is such a mix of tones in the wings. It’s all about light and shadow here, but it’s also about drama and emotion. You can see the wind in the clouds, and in the woman's hair. It makes you think about how painting is also storytelling. It can capture a moment, but also suggest so much more, like the whole history of art, myth, and even our own dreams.