Death of Polyxena 1790 - 1800

Edward Francis Burney created this delicate drawing, "Death of Polyxena", sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Burney lived in a time of revolution and shifting social structures, which may have influenced his artistic choices. Here, Burney illustrates a scene from Greek mythology, focusing on Polyxena’s sacrifice. But how might we interpret this scene through a contemporary lens? The image shows a woman sacrificed at the altar. Is this a commentary on the role of women in society, where their bodies and lives are often subject to the desires and decisions of men? Polyxena’s limp body contrasts sharply with the active male figure poised to kill her. Her pale skin, a marker of beauty in Burney's time, also underscores her vulnerability. The emotional weight of the piece lies in the recognition of lost potential and the brutal finality of sacrifice. The image asks us to consider whose stories are told and whose bodies bear the burden of history.