Panthea Stabs Herself beside the Corpse of Abradatas 1738 - 1820

This black chalk drawing by Benjamin West, titled *Panthea Stabs Herself beside the Corpse of Abradatas*, depicts a scene from the Greek epic poem *The Thebaid*, by Statius. Panthea, a queen, finds her husband Abradatas slain in battle and commits suicide beside his body. This drawing is a study for a later painting, completed between 1738 and 1820, and now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work showcases West's signature Neoclassical style and his interest in historical narratives.