Beating the fiances of Penelope returning Ulysses 1862

Vasily Vereshchagin rendered this drawing of Ulysses's revenge in the late 19th century, likely with graphite and ink on paper. The artist was working within a well-established tradition, academic draftsmanship, yet approaching it with a modern sensibility. The stark, unadorned quality of the drawing, with its visible erasures and corrections, gives us a sense of the artist's process. It's a scene of graphic violence – Ulysses, returned from his long journey, exacts brutal revenge on the suitors who have besieged his wife Penelope. The medium reinforces this feeling; unlike a painting, with its seductive colors and textures, the stark monochrome of the drawing conveys the scene's harshness. Consider the labor involved, too. The artist has devoted hours to the careful delineation of each figure, each weapon, each fold of drapery. This intense labor underscores the seriousness of Vereshchagin's artistic purpose, to translate an ancient epic into a contemporary visual language. By doing so, he invites us to reflect on the enduring relevance of Homer's tale, and challenges us to engage with the uncomfortable themes of violence, justice, and revenge.