Oedipus solves the mystery of the Sphinx 1891

Franz von Stuck's "Oedipus solves the mystery of the Sphinx" (1891) depicts the Greek hero Oedipus facing the mythical Sphinx. The artwork utilizes a dark and dramatic palette, contrasting the bright, almost golden, robe of Oedipus with the shadows of the Sphinx, which is rendered as a winged woman with the body of a lion. The Sphinx, laying on a rock, is shown with her head resting on a skull, hinting at her eventual fate, as Oedipus is about to solve the riddle. The artwork reflects the Symbolist movement, characterized by its focus on the psychological and the mystical.