On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Drawings for a "Sphinx" and "Victoria"
Fernand Khnopff Belgian
Not on view
These drawings relate to two different subjects. Khnopff combined them in a specially designed frame to create a new composition. The drawings on the left are variations on a Sphinx, a mythological hybrid of animals with a woman’s head, usually associated with mystery, danger, and temptation. On the right, Khnopff depicted the goddess Victoria, whom he understood as a symbol of transcendence. Together, the images suggest stages of a quest for spiritual enlightenment. Delicate shading and white highlights make it appear that the figures are emerging from darkness.
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