In his paintings Peter Vos often subjects his animals to a strong geometric stylisation. The ordered lines defining their form simultaneously determin their shape and emphasize the flat surface activity. Despite their evident stylization, Peter Vos' animals maintain an individual character that facilitates identification with human traits.
Basilisk with the subtitle Fafner refers to the dragon from Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen. In this version, the animal is neither a bird nor a dragon but rather a stylized intermediate creature with sharp notches and a plane pattern reminiscent of a giraffe. Its head has an expression that hovers between contemplation and resignation.