ANDRÉ MASSON (1896-1987)

Le Miel et Le Lait

1968 France

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‘Le Miel et Le Lait’, executed in 1968, was part of an ongoing exploration of Greek mythology by André Masson who had chosen the theme Apollo, God of the Sun, for his commission to decorate the ceiling of the Théâtre de l’Odéon just three years earlier in 1965. Tragedy and Comedy featured strongly in these works, conveying the extreme of human emotion. ‘Le Miel et le Lait’ continues this theme telling the story of the newly born Zeus. His mother Rhea hid her son on the island of Crete to escape the jealousy and danger of infanticide by his father Kronos. Zeus was entrusted to the care of a nymph, Melissa, who fed the baby the earthly foodstuffs of milk and honey, the milk provided by the goat Amalthea. Masson bathes the scene in sunny, incandescent colours, whilst the olive tree which overhangs Zeus has the air of a large protective eagle, representing Aetos Dios, a giant golden eagle who served as Zeus personal messenger and companion.

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