Gerion 1807

Editor: So, here we have John Flaxman's "Gerion" from the Tate. It's a stark, almost clinical drawing. The monster is terrifying, but also, strangely, delicate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting you say "delicate." Flaxman, a master of outline, uses that very delicacy to amplify the horror, doesn’t he? It's a scene from Dante's Inferno, and Gerion, the monster of fraud, is taking Dante and Virgil down into the abyss. See how Virgil clings to Dante? Almost childlike in his fear. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the true nature of bravery? Perhaps it's acknowledging our fears, not denying them. Editor: That's a powerful way to look at it! I was so focused on the monster, I missed the vulnerability. Curator: Exactly! Flaxman’s genius lies in showing us that even heroes are human, especially when faced with the monstrous parts of ourselves.