Illustration to the Iliad 1795

This Illustration to the Iliad was made around 1793 by John Flaxman, using the printmaking technique of engraving. This process involves meticulously incising an image onto a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Notice the emphasis on line – its purity, its capacity to define form with minimal shading. The figures are rendered with incredible clarity and precision, almost like a diagram. This aesthetic was very much in keeping with the Neoclassical style, which looked to ancient Greek and Roman art for inspiration. But the medium of engraving itself has significance. It's a technique that requires immense skill and patience, a real investment of labor. The very act of carving these lines into the metal imbues the image with a sense of permanence. Flaxman's choice of this medium thus reinforces the epic and enduring nature of Homer's story. It really makes you consider how the laborious, time-intensive processes involved in craft practices can elevate a work beyond mere illustration.