Telemachus Battles the Lion, from The Adventures of Telemachus, Book 2 1808

Bartolomeo Pinelli made this pen and brown ink and wash over graphite drawing titled, Telemachus Battles the Lion, inspired by the Adventures of Telemachus. Pinelli's Italy, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was steeped in the revival of classical antiquity. The rediscovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum fueled a fascination with Roman history and mythology, which Pinelli tapped into, with its emphasis on virtue and heroism. Here, we see Telemachus, son of Odysseus, locked in mortal combat with a lion, a scene lifted from Homeric legend and repackaged for a contemporary audience. This reflects a broader cultural trend, where artists used classical narratives to comment on the social structures of their time. Pinelli's work could be seen as a self-conscious attempt to elevate the status of Italian art through historical themes. To fully understand Pinelli, we need to dig deeper into the socio-political context of his time, examining not just the art, but also the literature, theater, and political discourse that shaped his vision.