Oedipus At Colonia And Belisarius, A Pair Of Large Engravings, Circa 1800

Oedipus at Colonus and Belisarius – Pair of large engravings after Giroust and Jacques-Louis David, 1800
Period gilded wood frames, antique glass,
Very good overall condition, a small tear in the lower left margin of the Oedipus print
Frame 81x77 cm

A beautiful and significant pair of large neoclassical engravings depicting Oedipus at Colonus and Belisarius, engraved by Antoine-Alexandre Morel, presented in their gilded wood and stucco frames with a palmette design, dating from the Empire period.
Oedipus at Colonus was engraved by Morel after the famous painting by Jean-Antoine-Théodore Giroust (1753–1817), painted in 1788. This work, which marked Giroust’s admission to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, is now in the collection of the Dallas Museum of Art.
The scene, drawn from Sophocles’ tragedy, depicts the blind Oedipus, surrounded by his daughters Antigone and Ismene, repelling and cursing his son Polynices, who has come to seek his support. The composition, austere and theatrical, is one of the characteristic examples of late 18th-century French Neoclassical painting.

The second engraving depicts Belisarius Begging for Alms, based on the famous composition by Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825). It bears the inscription “David pinx. & direx. ,” as well as the engraver’s signature, “Alex. Morel Sculpsit.” The inscriptions indicate that the engraving was produced under David’s direction.
It also bears the valuable note “Deposited at the Library on the 21st of Vendém. Year 9,” corresponding to October 13, 1800, which allows for a precise dating of its publication. There are also inscriptions regarding the printing and distribution of the print in Paris.
A comparison of the two works is particularly interesting. Giroust’s painting was conceived within an artistic context dominated by David, and its composition bears a clear resemblance to David’s *Belisarius*. In particular, both works depict the poignant figure of the blind old man from antiquity. Morel specifically engraved *Oedipus at Colonus* as a pendant to *Belisarius*. These are not two engravings brought together by chance, but rather a true pendant.
The two prints thus form a true pair and not a later combination of two ancient subjects: same engraver, closely related neoclassical compositions, and a deliberate juxtaposition of the figures of Oedipus and Belisarius.

The work is executed with great skill in intaglio, etching, and burin engraving, particularly evident in the rendering of the architecture, drapery, and modeling.
The engravings are set in exquisite Empire-period wooden frames with gilded stucco, adorned with a frieze of palmettes.