Artwork Page for Oedipus at Colonus

Details / Information for Oedipus at Colonus

Oedipus at Colonus

1798

Fulchran Jean Harriet

(French, 1778–1805)
Culture
France, 18th century
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
Framed: 187.5 x 164.5 x 8.5 cm (73 13/16 x 64 3/4 x 3 3/8 in.); Unframed: 157 x 134 cm (61 13/16 x 52 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 2002.3
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Fulchran Jean Harriet died young at age 29, and less than 10 of his works survive today.

Description

The ancient mythical Greek king Oedipus fulfilled his fate by unknowingly killing his father and marrying his mother. He subsequently blinded himself and was exiled. Here, Oedipus reprimands himself, while protecting his daughter Antigone. Oedipus became popular in France just after the French Revolution, since the subject addressed the return of exiles. The ancient Greek writer Sophocles provided the best-known version of the tragedy, but an interpretation that played in Paris in 1797 inspired Harriet’s work.
A vertical oil painting depicts an older man with light skin tone and a white beard leaning against a stone pillar. Dressed in a blue tunic, his large red cloak billows toward our right. Beside him, a woman in a white gown and blue headband slumps with her head resting on a ledge. To our left, a black bird flies across a dark, mountainous landscape under a heavy, cloudy sky.

Oedipus at Colonus

1798

Fulchran Jean Harriet

(French, 1778–1805)
France, 18th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

    Update or Correct Artwork Information

    Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

    Report a Website Issue

    Further Questions About This Artwork