Otus and Ephialtes Holding Mars Captive c. 1790s

This pencil drawing by John Flaxman, titled "Otus and Ephialtes Holding Mars Captive," depicts a scene from Greek mythology. The giants Otus and Ephialtes are shown restraining the god of war, Mars, who lies chained and bound at their feet. The work, executed in the late 18th century, showcases Flaxman’s characteristic delicate linework and the neoclassical style that made him famous. The drawing is a powerful illustration of the brothers’ ambition to overthrow the gods and their eventual defeat by the gods themselves, an enduring theme in art and literature.