The Sorrow of Telemachus
The Sorrow of Telemachus is a 1783 oil painting by the Swiss artist Angelica Kauffman. It is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]
| The Sorrow of Telemachus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Angelica Kauffman  |
| Year | 1783 |
| Medium | oil paint, canvas |
| Dimensions | 83.2 cm (32.8 in) × 114.3 cm (45.0 in) |
| Location | Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| Accession No. | 25.110.187 |
| Identifiers | The Met object ID: 436809 |
Early history and creation
This painting and Telemachus and the Nymphs of Calypso were painted for Monsignor Onorato Caetani (1742-1797). They show scenes from the French novel The Adventures of Telemachus published by François Fénelon in 1699, and based on the story of Telemachus, son of Odysseus.[1][2][3]
Description and interpretation
Telemachus was shipwrecked off Calypso's island, and in this image she tells her nymphs to stop singing Odysseus's praises because of his son's grief.[3]
Other versions
Kauffman painted two other versions of this work: in 1788 (held by the Bündner Museum of Art in Chur, Switzerland, and in 1789 (sold by Christie's in London in April 1998).[4]
References
- "The Sorrow of Telemachus". Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- "Telemachus and the Nymphs of Calypso". Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Baetjer, Katharine (2009). "Angelika Kauffmann". British Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1575-1875. pp. 138–142. ISBN 9781588393487. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- "Angelica Kauffman, R.A. (1741-1807): The Sorrow of Telemachus on the Island of Calypso". Sale 5939: British Pictures: 8 April 1998: London, King Street. Christie's. Retrieved 12 June 2017.