Cybele on Chariot Drawn by Lions
1738
Medium
Pen and brown ink, on cream laid paper, laid down on card
Dimensions
22.1 × 18.3 cm (8 3/4 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83317
Art Historical Context
This elegant pen-and-ink drawing by John Vanderbank portrays the Roman goddess Cybele, often revered as a mother figure and protector of nature, riding triumphantly in a chariot drawn by lions. Created in 1738, work reflects the 18th-century British fascination with classical mythology, where artists reinterpreted ancient stories to explore themes of power, fertility, and divine authority. Vanderbank, known for his contributions to tapestry design and book illustration in early Georgian England, employs fluid pen strokes and subtle brown ink washes on cream laid paper to convey motion and ene...