Original Salvador Dali (1904 – 1989) drypoint etching with stencil from the series “La Fontaine’s Bestiary Dalinized”, titled “The Horse that wanted Revenge on the Stag”.

Hand-signed by the artist and numbered: LXXXVI/CXX (86/120)

Luxury edition of 120 pieces, printed on Vélin Richard de Bas paper in 1974

Size: 93 × 73 cm including the frame

Reference: “Salvador Dalí : catalogue raisonné of etchings and mixed-media prints, 1924-1980” – catalog number 655

Buy with confidence - we guarantee the authenticity of this artwork and it comes with the Certificate of Authenticity issued in 1974 by the publisher. We own the whole Portfolio “The Dalinian Bestiary of La Fontaine” in original cover with all 12 Engravings. See other listings.

Artwork Essay

In this engraving, Salvador Dalí turns to one of La Fontaine’s lesser-known yet deeply philosophical fables. The tale tells of a horse who, seeking revenge on a stag for a past insult, turns to man for help. The man assists in defeating the stag — but at a cost: from that moment on, the horse is never free again, burdened by the rider he invited.

Dalí transforms this moral parable into a visual metaphor filled with surreal symbolism — submission, dominance, and pride. The forms of horse and human seem to merge, becoming mythological in nature. There are no victors here — only the consequences of the desire for control and retribution.

Moral: In the pursuit of triumph over another, we risk the loss of ourselves. Vengeance may bring glory — but often at the price of freedom.

As with the entire Dalinian Bestiary of La Fontaine series, this work showcases not only Dalí’s technical brilliance but also his profound insight into human nature, rendered through the language of myth, allegory, and form.