Jason and the Golden Fleece

Jason reaches for the Golden Fleece after overcoming the trials of Colchis. The chapter gives Medea a decisive role: her enchanted herbs protect him from the bronze-footed bulls and help subdue the dragon that never sleeps. The warrior's apparent triumph therefore depends upon knowledge and assistance beyond his own strength.

The adjacent text follows the sowing of the dragon's teeth, the warriors who turn upon one another and the final removal of the fleece. In the illustration, armour, sacred tree and monstrous guardian bring the end of the Argonauts' voyage into a single charged encounter.

Historical context is adapted from the accompanying commentary by Antoine de La Barre de Beaumarchais. Its interpretations reflect the period in which the book was published.

This edition follows plate 48 in Le Temple des Muses. The complete historical page and its explanatory text remain available in the source record. Source attribution: Bernard Picart and other engravers, Le Temple des Muses (1749 edition). Museum date: 1749 (publication). Source medium: Engraving, inner pictorial scene. Source portfolio: Le Temple des Muses, plate 48.

The inner illustration has been straightened and extracted from its surrounding engraved frame, caption and paper. The comparison shows that extracted engraving beside Surrealium's contemporary colour interpretation.

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