Milkmaid of Bordeaux 2012

The late Alexander Roitburd painted this artwork, "Milkmaid of Bordeaux," with oil on canvas. The title evokes familiar images of bucolic scenes and classical nudes. Yet, the woman's body is disrupted by a surreal, phallic-shaped form emerging from her back. The bright red background amplifies this tension, creating a field of carnal unease. It is a potent symbol, one that might recall the ancient minotaur, half-human, half-bull, embodying base instincts and untamed desires. This hybridity points to a deeper psychological struggle, the conscious versus the subconscious, the rational versus the animalistic. From the prehistoric cave paintings of animal-human hybrids to the mythological creatures of ancient Greece, we see this motif recurring. Roitburd taps into this collective memory, engaging us in an emotional landscape where primal instincts collide with human identity. This is not just a painting; it is a journey through the labyrinth of our own psyches.