.jpg?w=1)
拍品專文
The present drawing represents Fuseli's preliminary study of Ulysses between Scylla and Charybdis (Milton Gallery no. 12; Schiff 894), in which Odysseus is the only survivor of the carnage wreaked by the Scylla on his crew. In the finished picture Odysseus is bestride his ship covered by his protective shield so that his figure resembles the famous statuette of the ideal warrior.
In 1791, Joseph Johnson and Henry Fuseli, mistaken in their anticipation that their subscribers would meet their promises to fund his project, issued proposals for a magnificent edition of Milton's complete poems, which would be under the supervision of William Cowper as editor. The proposed thirty plates would be executed by the eminent engravers Francesco Bartolozzi, William Sharpe, Thomas Holloway and William Blake. The exhibition was designated by Fuseli as the 'Milton Gallery'. When a fit of insanity sidelined Cowper, Johnson also withdrew from the scheme. This did not deter Fuseli who decided to press ahead with his own more ambitious plans to publish the new Milton edition. There were several problems: the paintings needed to be engraved promptly so they would be available to their patrons who would not want to await their chosen paintings too long, and attendance at the exhibition was poor. Funds ran short, and Fuseli turned to his friend William Roscoe who advanced him some seven hundred pounds in return for replica paintings and drawings which he largely sold on.
We are grateful to Dr. David Weinglass for his help in preparing the present catalogue entry.
In 1791, Joseph Johnson and Henry Fuseli, mistaken in their anticipation that their subscribers would meet their promises to fund his project, issued proposals for a magnificent edition of Milton's complete poems, which would be under the supervision of William Cowper as editor. The proposed thirty plates would be executed by the eminent engravers Francesco Bartolozzi, William Sharpe, Thomas Holloway and William Blake. The exhibition was designated by Fuseli as the 'Milton Gallery'. When a fit of insanity sidelined Cowper, Johnson also withdrew from the scheme. This did not deter Fuseli who decided to press ahead with his own more ambitious plans to publish the new Milton edition. There were several problems: the paintings needed to be engraved promptly so they would be available to their patrons who would not want to await their chosen paintings too long, and attendance at the exhibition was poor. Funds ran short, and Fuseli turned to his friend William Roscoe who advanced him some seven hundred pounds in return for replica paintings and drawings which he largely sold on.
We are grateful to Dr. David Weinglass for his help in preparing the present catalogue entry.