Homer's Iliad, Homer's Odyssey, Aeschylus's Tragedies and les Argonautes

1793/1810 (Iliad, 2nd ed, published 1793; Odyssey, published 1793; Tragedies, published 1795; Les argonautes, 1799; 3rd ed, published 1807/10)

Engravings in black on cream laid paper, bound with cardboard covers covered in paper, with leather spine and corners, and decorative end papers with block printing in blue

43.7 × 4 cm (17.2 × 1.6 in)

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Not currently on view

In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Flaxman pioneered a style of drawing, inspired by Greek vase painting, that rejected perspective and modeling in favor of pure line. With this, he meant to rediscover a lost simplicity and purity in art. In the 1790s, Flaxman produced a series of illustrations made into engravings for the works of Homer, Aeschylus, and Dante. These proved enormously influential, earning the sculptor lasting fame. Little of the texts was included in these editions, as Flaxman set out to tell the story through images.

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