Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld 1809

Bartolomeo Pinelli's 1809 "Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld" depicts a scene from Homer's Odyssey, where Telemachus, son of Odysseus, seeks permission from Pluto, the Greek god of the underworld, to enter his domain. Telemachus stands before Pluto and Persephone, pleading his case, while a mournful figure sits behind them, representing the despair of those in the Underworld. Pinelli's drawing, executed in brown wash on paper, captures the dramatic moment with a mixture of classical and Romantic elements, demonstrating the artist's skill in depicting mythological narratives with detail and emotional depth.