'The Minotaur'

The Minotaur (by Edouard Pignon) LaTortueNoire (Atlas Obscura User)

Edouard Pignon was a French painter whose artwork explored interwoven subjects such as the working class, boat-sails, tree trunks, and the horrors of war. Many of his works are considered commentaries on social and political issues. A close friend of painter Pablo Picasso, Pignon frequently exhibited his work in France and abroad.

In 1976 in the city of Lille near the Belgian Border, he created a monumental mural composed of ceramics entitled, “The Minotaur.” The work of art was ordered by then-mayor Pierre Mauroy.

The mural is more than 40 years old and remains in near flawless condition. On the right of the mural, a woman carries a sleeping child. On the left, a menacing bird of prey has his eyes set on both.

Know Before You Go

The mural can be found at the crossing of Avenue du Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Rue Saint Sauveur, right at the exit of the subway station Mairie de Lille.