Achilles Restrained by Athena in Agamemnon's Tent, from Iliad, Book I
1765/66
Medium
Black chalk on cream laid paper
Dimensions
43 × 34.7 cm (16 15/16 × 13 11/16 in.)
Classification
drawings (visual works)
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
241157
Art Historical Context
This striking drawing by Swedish artist Johan Tobias Sergel captures a dramatic moment from Homer’s Iliad, Book I. In Agamemnon’s tent, the goddess Athena appears to restrain the enraged Achilles, preventing him from drawing his sword against the Greek leader. Created in 1765/66, the work reflects the 18th-century fascination with classical literature as a source of moral and emotional inspiration. Executed in black chalk on cream laid paper, the medium allows for bold contrasts and fluid lines that heighten the tension between the figures. Sergel’s composition focuses on the interplay of ges...