Le Songe de Télémaque

About this artwork

blad: hoogte 148 mm x breedte 94 mm

Art Historical Context

Created in 1775 by Dutch artist Simon Fokke, *Le Songe de Télémaque* is a delicate etching that captures a dreamlike moment from classical mythology. Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, was a popular literary figure in the eighteenth century thanks to François Fénelon’s influential novel *Les Aventures de Télémaque* (1699). Fokke’s small print, measuring just 148 by 94 millimetres, likely served as a book illustration, inviting viewers into an intimate, imagined episode from the young hero’s story. Etching was ideally suited to such narrative scenes. The technique allowed Fokke to render fine lines and subtle tonal contrasts on a modest scale, giving the composition both clarity and atmospheric depth. As an artist active during the Enlightenment, Fokke frequently translated literary and historical subjects into accessible prints that circulated widely among educated audiences. Today the work offers a charming glimpse into how eighteenth-century viewers encountered ancient myths—through affordable, beautifully crafted images that blended scholarship with imagination.

About the Artist

Simon Fokke · 1712–1784

Comment on works: Draugstman; Portrait