Bellerophon on Pegasus 1747

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo painted this scene of Bellerophon on Pegasus, likely as a ceiling fresco. Here, we observe Bellerophon soaring on Pegasus, his winged steed, poised to strike the Chimera below. This moment of triumph over the monstrous Chimera, a composite of lion, goat, and serpent, resonates deeply with the human psyche’s eternal struggle against primal fears and chaos. Consider the image of the winged horse—Pegasus—a symbol that transcends epochs. From ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance tapestries, the winged horse embodies the soaring spirit of human aspiration, the untamed desire to transcend earthly bounds. This aspiration is mirrored in the countless artistic depictions of other winged creatures that appear across time and culture. The psychological potency of this scene lies in its depiction of the hero as the bringer of order. It appeals to our collective memory of the hero’s journey, reminding us that the battle between order and chaos is a perpetual cycle, one that echoes in the collective unconscious. Each epoch reinterprets these symbols, imbuing them with new life, while still carrying echoes of their ancient origins.