Illustration to the Iliad 1795

This 1795 illustration by John Flaxman is a depiction of the scene from the Iliad in which Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, brings a message from Zeus to the Trojan hero Hector. The scene, depicted in an elegant, Neoclassical style, emphasizes the god-like beauty of the scene by depicting the figures in a dramatic, idealized manner. Iris’s wings extend across the page, while she flies down to bring the message to Hector who stands in the background. Flaxman, a well-known sculptor and illustrator, created numerous drawings and sculptures throughout his career.