Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses
by John William Waterhouse, 1891
Details
- Year
- 1891
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Size
- 149 cm × 92 cm
John William Waterhouse painted this Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses in 1891, depicting the sorceress from Homer's Odyssey on a gilded throne. She holds a goblet of potion in one hand and a wand in the other, her flowing translucent drapery emphasizing her allure. A mirror behind her reflects Ulysses himself, while a pig at her feet represents a crew member already transformed.
Waterhouse positions Circe above the viewer's eye level, tilting her chin upward so we must look up into her eyes as she looks down. This establishes her dominance over both Ulysses and the viewer. The mirror trick, showing a wider scene in the background, appears in several Waterhouse paintings including his Lady of Shalott works.
The work at Gallery Oldham in England, donated in 1952 by Marjory Lees, whose father Charles Edward Lees bought it in 1892. It measures 149 x 92 cm and represents Waterhouse's combination of Pre-Raphaelite style with classical mythology.
