Although unusual in paintings, tortoises can have several different readings, from love to slow and faltering political reforms.
Esterl
A selection of paintings from the 20th and 21st centuries, including Ellen Altfest, a modern vanitas, and the fast food bodegone.
Why are there two tortoises in the foreground of Moreau’s ‘Orpheus’? After a journey through Zen Buddhism, fables, and political allegory, the answer may be more obvious.
The Eclectic Light Company 