Menelaus and Patroclus, after the Antique (recto and verso)
1770–78
Medium
Pen and brown ink (recto); pen and ink over graphite (verso)
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 7/16 in. × 7 in. (24 × 17.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, 2020
Accession Number
2021.16.30a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Henry Fuseli's *Menelaus and Patclus, after the Antique (recto and verso created between 1770 and 1778, captures a poignant moment from Greek mythology. On the recto, executed in pen and brown ink, the Swiss-born artist depicts the Trojan War hero Menelaus tenderly supporting the dying Patro, a comrade-in-arms whose death fueled Achilles' rage in Homer's *Iliad*. The verso, in pen and ink over graphite likely features a related study, showcasing Fuseli's meticulous process. This drawing, measuring just 9 7/16 × 7 inches, reflects the artist's deep engagement with classical antiquity during his...
About the Artist
Henry Fuseli
Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), born Johann Heinrich Füssli in Zürich, was a Swiss-British painter whose visionary works exploring dreams, nightmares, and psychological terror made him one of the most original figures of the Romantic movement. His art bridged Neoclassical discipline with Romantic emotionalism, creating images of supernatural intensity that would influence artists from William Blake to t...