Oskar Kokoschka
1950
Oil paint and mixed media on canvas
256.5 x 239 cm
Painted in the aftermath of the Second World War and at the beginning of the Cold War, this large triptych (a work in three parts) is an expression of Oskar Kokoschka’s hopes and fears for the fate of humanity. He reinterpreted episodes from classical mythology and the Bible to explore three main themes: salvation (left); apocalypse (centre); and the dangers of humanity’s quest for power (right).