Sketch of a Sphinx [?] (verso)
Luc-Olivier Merson (French, 1846–1920)
c. 1879–80
![Sketch of a Sphinx [?] (verso) by Luc-Olivier Merson (French, 1846–1920)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.artheonmuseum.org%2Fcleveland%2Fthumb%2Fsketch-of-a-sphinx-verso-cleveland-159877.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Medium
black chalk
Dimensions
sheet: 25.5 × 14.5 cm · secondary support: 27.9 × 39 cm
Classification
Drawing
Department
Drawings
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1997.178.b
Tags
male
About this artwork
This drawing relates to Luc-Olivier Merson's Rest on the Flight into Egypt, among the most popular paintings exhibited at the 1879 Paris Salon. This dream-like, highly unusual image from the familiar bible story shows Mary and Christ resting peacefully in the arms of a Sphinx, while Joseph sleeps near their dwindling fire. In the wake of its extraordinary success, Merson made several painted replicas of the work. Here, the composition is identical, but reversed, suggesting that it may have been ...