The Nights of Straparola 1894

Edward Robert Hughes created this evocative scene, inspired by "The Nights of Straparola." Observe the crown laid askew upon the man's head, a symbol of authority and power, juxtaposed with his nakedness and the animal pelt he holds. These symbols conjure up archetypal ideas of transformation, shedding societal roles to reveal a primal self. Note the juxtaposition of vulnerability and dominance in the man’s stance; this recalls images of classical heroes stripped bare, facing trials that test their very essence. Consider how these motifs resonate across time, echoing in works like Titian’s “Fallen Titan” and even glimpsed in the modern anxieties of Kafka’s Metamorphosis. The pelt suggests a regression, but also a vital connection to untamed nature. Hughes has tapped into something primal here. He presents a tableau where intellect and instinct clash, and through this collision, he mirrors the profound anxieties and desires that dwell within us.