Stymphalian Birds

In the upper half of a tall canvas, a large bird plunges downward with wings spread and talons extended, dark and white plumage rendered in slashing strokes against a black sky. Below, a shirtless young man in pale blue trousers walks bent forward across a dark, furrowed field, arms hanging loosely. A thin line of small lights marks a distant settlement along the horizon.

The palette shifts from near-black sky and earth to warm flesh tones caught by an unseen light on the man's torso. Heavy, textured strokes build the bird's feathers, while the figure below is painted more smoothly. The looming predator above and the solitary, bowed figure create a tense, dramatic atmosphere.