Image
John Flaxman
Study for Prometheus Chained, 1794 - 1795
Description
Maker
- John Flaxman, 1755 - 1826, English
Title
Study for Prometheus Chained
Year
1794 - 1795
Medium
Pen and ink on paper
Materials/Techniques
-
Materials
Dimensions
-
15.2 x 16.5 cm (6 x 6 1/2 inches) (sheet) sight
Type
Credit
-
Gift of the Estate of Eleanor Fayerweather
Object Number
-
1993.085.5
About
This drawing was a study for an illustration. The titan Prometheus is chained to a rock as punishment for stealing fire from the gods and sharing it with humanity. The final version of this work was engraved by Frank Howard and published in Compositions from the Tragedies of Aeschylus in 1795.
After working as a modeler for the ceramics manufactory Wedgwood and a brief stay in Rome, English sculptor and draftsman John Flaxman became famous for his line drawings illustrating classic literary works. His crisp, continuous outlines and spare use of shading, influenced by engravings after Greek vases, conveyed a sense of classical purity.
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Use
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