A young warrior in vivid red and black surges forward on a rearing white horse, his arm stretched high as he thrusts a long spear downward. The horse, Pegasus, fills the left half of the picture, its wings blurred into the swirling light and motion around it. Beneath Pegasus, a monstrous creature with the body and mane of a lion, a goat’s head rising from its back, and a curling serpent for a tail recoils, mouth agape and claws raised in defense.

The background is a rush of golden and ochre tones, suggesting smoke or fire, which frames the figures in a glowing arc and heightens the drama of the confrontation. The warrior’s cloak billows behind him, catching the light and echoing the swirling energy that fills the scene. Loose, energetic brushstrokes give the figures their sense of movement and urgency, while the outlines of wings, limbs, and flames dissolve into the turbulent air.

Small touches, such as the tension in the horse’s hooves and the Chimaera’s twisted paw, add to the sense of imminent violence. The light falls brightest on Pegasus and the hero’s raised arm, casting the monster into shadow and emphasizing the struggle between the two. The palette is dominated by warm earth tones, punctuated by the white of Pegasus and the red of the warrior’s clothing, creating a vivid contrast against the smoky background.

The paint appears thick and textured in places, especially in the mane and fur of the Chimaera, where the brushwork suggests both mass and chaos. This is Bellerophon riding Pegasus defeats the Chimaera, created by Peter Paul Rubens in 1635.