Alfred COURMES (1898-1933) Escadron d'Amazones au repos, Image militaire, 1976. Oil on canvas marouflaged on panel. Signed and dated lower left. 130 x 162 cm. Small stains and rubs. Done in the precise and detailed style of the miniaturist, the anatomies being indebted to the clacissism of the 1920s of his master Roger de la Fresnay, Escadron d'Amazones au repos, represents a summit in the register of abrasive and satyric humour. In Greek mythology, this female society -which claimed to be the daughter of Mars, the god of war- mated once a year to renew their warrior numbers. Courmes represents these super-powerful, muscular and free women violently chasing (with whips!) the men from their territory. As an illustration of ancient literature, Courmes hijacks and disrupts the traditional attributes of femininity and masculinity and humorously addresses feminism, homosexuality and the place of women in society at a time of societal upheaval (it is 1976).