The Triumphant Nature of Mankind: Prometheus Strangling the Vulture II
Nature in itself is a beautiful thing. However, displaying a glorious work of art in a natural setting is truly breathtaking when beheld by the human eye. This is what one is able to experience when viewing the creation Prometheus Strangling the Vulture II in the sculpture gardens of Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN. My family and I visited the gardens in late August of 2008. At the time of our visit, I had never attempted to fully understand or appreciate the gifts of creativity bestowed upon our society by numerous artists. Upon entering the gardens, we observed seemingly endless pathways lined with various sculptures. Although each work of art was interesting in one way or another, not one caused me to pause and ponder the artist’s intentions or message. Suddenly, we noticed that the path veered to the right into an alcove that displayed a single, massive statue which was held high upon a pedestal. At that very moment, my curiosity was aroused. For the first time in my life, I was to be exposed to the artistic elements which compose the mythological being Prometheus, whose image was so powerfully portrayed in this setting.
A brief description of the statue itself, and the artist who created it, is necessary to effectively visualize and understand the work. The statue is composed of bronze, but appears glossy black in color. It stands nearly eight feet tall and nearly the same wide. It is not the original work of art, but a reproduction of the original statue which was mutilated and destroyed. Jacques Lipchitz created the statue between the years of 1943 and 1953. Jacques was originally a Cubist; however at a point in his life he took interest in mythology and biblical references. Prometheus Strangling the Vulture II is supposedly Jacque’s way of inspiring mankind to persevere against our many obstacles in life.
The statue, Prometheus Strangling the Vulture II, is able to bring...