The Aeroplegasus 1911

Moriz Jung created "The Aeroplegasus" during a time of great technological advancement and also on the brink of immense social upheaval. The artwork layers classical mythology with modern innovation into a satirical commentary on early 20th-century society. In the image, we see a winged mechanical horse, a Pegasus, equipped with what's labeled the "Motor Anzani", ridden by a suited gentleman and juxtaposed with a woman bearing a laurel wreath floating on a cloud. The machine and the rider are male, while beauty and success is offered by a woman who seems ornamental and classical, but in control of the 'prize'. It is this intersection of mythology, gender, and industrialization that speaks volumes about the era's values and anxieties. Jung’s work reflects the optimism and the absurdity of modernity. It makes us consider who is being celebrated and what is being left behind in the relentless march of progress.