Oedipus before the Temple of the Furies between his Daughters Antigone and Ismene
Original title: Oedipus before the Temple of the Furies between his Daughters Antigone and Ismene
kurzbeschreibung
Anton Raphael Mengs drew the blind Oedipus seated between his daughters Antigone and Ismene before an ancient temple around 1760–61. The sheet measures 19 × 22.3 cm and is executed in pen and brown ink with wash and white heightening over graphite.
Description
Oedipus has taken a seat on a pedestal, flanked by a woman on each side: one holds his arm, the other turns her back to him. At the left edge, a man tends to a horse. Behind rises a columned temple with a pediment, on which several figures can be made out; branches and leaves frame it at the sides. Brown tones dominate the colouring, with white and grey providing accents.
Context
This drawing was made during Mengs's stay in Rome, where he engaged intensively with antiquity and the High Renaissance. The Oedipus theme was highly popular in the 18th century, combining fate and family ties. The sheet presumably served as a preparatory study for a larger painting or as an independent collector's piece. Mengs was regarded as the leading classicist and had a lasting influence on European art.
Impact
The layout feels balanced and calm, with Oedipus appearing as a dignified yet vulnerable figure between his daughters. The washed technique creates a soft, atmospheric mood that tempers the dramatic subject with serenity. Classicising garments and the temple give the sheet a timeless, classical aura.
Technique
Mengs combined pen and brown ink with brown wash to achieve shading and depth. White gouache heightening sets targeted light accents, while the graphite underdrawing prepares the contours. This mixed technique was typical of 18th-century draughtsmanship and allowed precise description with a painterly effect.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)