Monstrosity in European Art: A reflection on the role of Monstrosity in 19th century paintings

Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent (1790)

          Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent captures exactly what the title suggests. In the story from Icelandic folklore, Thor rows out to sea with the giant Hymir, shown cowering on the other side of the boat, and uses a goat head to lure the serpent in so he can defeat it. The painting also has Thor’s father, Odin, watching the whole scene in the far left. This painting in concept is as basic and self referential as its subject matter, but the painting has been interpreted to depict the French people's battle against the nobility during the French revolution.
          What stood out to me in this painting was the subject matter, a story told about a mythical figure fighting a mythical monster. In class we have read similar stories about other such figures, and it wouldn’t be so odd here to maybe see Alexander the great or Mandeville fighting one of these great monsters. Fuseli also found importance in capturing mythical figures from beyond the catholic cannon which also opened the way for other artists to capture more diverse cultures and stories. Thor Battering the Midgard Serpent is stunningly depicted and additionally marks a change from painting with a moralizing subject to ones with more socially monstrous meanings.

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