Illustration to the Iliad 1795

John Flaxman's "Illustration to the Iliad" (1795) is a line drawing that depicts the Greek goddess Iris, messenger of the gods, commanding the sun god Helios to pause his chariot. The image is one of a series of illustrations Flaxman created for Homer’s *Iliad*, depicting key moments from the epic poem. The simplicity of the drawing and the use of line emphasizes the narrative scene and aligns with Neoclassical artistic styles. This work is a fine example of Flaxman's mastery of line drawing and his ability to capture the essence of classical literature.