Minotaur (a.k.a. Theseus and the Minotaur)

Joseph Anthony Mugnaini

A lithograph created by Joseph Mugnaini in 1953, working with the California Master Printer, lithographer Lynton Kistler. From a series of mythological themes done in editions of 20. This impression is accompanied by an 'authentication' from Kistler and signed by Mugnaini.

Mugnaini began his long-time collaboration with author Ray Bradbury in 1952, during which time he interpreted and illustrated many of Bradbury's books, including "Fahrenheit 451" through the "Martian Chronicles".

The minotaur was a fabulous monster, half-man and half-bull, that was kept by Minos in a labyrinth created by Daedalus. The minotaur was the offspring of Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, and a white bull sent to Minos by Poseidon for sacrifice. Instead of killing it, Minos kept the bull alive which angered Poseidon so he placed a spell upon Pasiphae which caused her to fall in love with the bull. When Minos' son, Androgeos, was killed by the Athenians, Minos demanded that seven Athenian youths and seven maidens be sent every ninth year to be devoured by the minotaur. When the third time of sacrifice came, Athenian hero Theseus volunteered to go. Minos' daughter, Ariadne, fell in love with Theseus and she gave him a ball of thread to unwind to mark his path in the labyrinth and, after killing the minotaur, he found his way out and they escaped together.