Philoctetes and Neoptolemus at Lemnos 1812

Curator: Here we have William Blake’s “Philoctetes and Neoptolemus at Lemnos,” housed at the Harvard Art Museums, a piece measuring approximately 34 by 46 centimeters. What's your initial take? Editor: The starkness hits me first. The figures seem almost flayed, their forms rendered in a way that highlights their vulnerability, almost as if the skin is peeled back to reveal what lies beneath. Curator: Precisely. Blake masterfully taps into the mythos, doesn't he? Philoctetes, abandoned on Lemnos, embodies suffering and isolation, a theme Blake often explored. The bow, piercing his hand, shows the price of the weapon. Editor: And the materials… This watercolor and ink technique serves the drama. The washes feel swift, urgent – perhaps mimicking the rash decisions and dire consequences the figures grapple with. What do you make of Neoptolemus’ stance? Curator: Torn, isn't he? He represents the conflict between duty and empathy, a recurring theme in Blake’s work. His stance is not one of triumph but of agonizing internal struggle, reflecting moral ambiguity. Editor: It is the story of labor and sacrifice, visible on Philoctetes’ body, set against Neoptolemus’ armor. The contrast hints at the social and personal costs of war. Curator: Absolutely. The image lingers, not just as a depiction of a classical story, but as a mirror reflecting our own moral dilemmas. Editor: It leaves me pondering the cost of glory and the burden of choice, rendered so powerfully in ink and watercolor.