A scene in Homer’s “The Odyssey” that interested me was his meeting with Tiresias in the Underworld in Book XI. It’s always interesting to see how different artists portray the underworld. Another interesting element in this scene is that Tiresias is supposed to be a fortuneteller who tells Odysseus about his future and what he must do to get home. When I think of depictions of oracles, I think of glowing eyes or something showing that presence of a clairvoyant power. I decided to take a look at two paintings by two separate artists. The first one I found is by Alessandro Allori and titled “Odysseus Questions the Seer, Tiresias”. According to the website I found it on, it dated back to 1580. The second depiction of this scene I found and decided to analyze was Henry Fuseli’s “Teiresias Foretells the Future to Odysseus” which dated back to some time between 1741-1825.
The first painting is one that doesn’t really shout out that Odysseus is in the underworld at first glance. Tiresias and Odysseus stand out in the forefront. An abundance of color was used and I thought this was interesting due to that fact that in my imagination their setting would be void of color or light. But perhaps this light is to show how Tiresias is bestowing Odysseus with the knowledge of the future. It might also be symbolic to how light makes your path clear similar to how Tiresias’ fortune telling made Odysseus’ voyage home clear. The painting shows more than their meeting as well. In the background, you can see many shadowy figures. I assume that they are other wandering souls in the underworld. The most notable figures are the bleeding man ,which I assumed was Agamemnon who told Odysseus the story of how he was murdered by his wife, and the lady to the far left, which I assumed was Odysseus’ grieving mother. Besides that, Allori also depicted very clearly the sacrifice in order for the journey to the underworld to take place. Lastly, I’d like to point out that Odysseus seems to take in the information very well and even seems to question the fortuneteller like the title implies. With that being said, the second depiction had similarities but also many differences.
Fuseli’s depiction gives off a different feel; one that seems very foreboding. The colors seen in the first painting aren’t really present in Fuseli’s. The entire painting is very muted with lots of blacks and whites. The only one in actual color is Odysseus which makes sense because he is the only one in this painting who is alive. I also liked that Fuseli painted white, seemingly free-flowing spirits around the border. It gave off a ghastly visual. One spirit that was clearly depicted was Odysseus’ mom again. I think both artists decided to portray her because meeting her left that much of an impact on Odysseus and readers of the Odyssey in general. Finally, I think the biggest difference is the placement and expressions of Tiresias and Odysseus. In this painting, Tiresias looks more powerful and more commanding. His warnings and words are absolute as he is depicted on higher ground and points down at Odysseus. In this painting, you get the impression that Odysseus pays heed to his fortune. He seems more worried and in an hurry to get home instead of questioning what he has been told like in the previous painting.
I love how you discuss the contrast in color of each piece in relation to the context. Both pictures in their own strategic way convey that they are set in the underworld, yet the second piece by Fuseli gives a more clear depiction of Hades. That foreboding essense you describe in your analysis is definitely supported by the way Homer describes life after death through Achilles’ monologue of preferring life as a slave over honor.
Dear B.tran,
I really like your visual idea of Odysseus’ journey to a land of death in the underworld. As sometimes we cannot deny that a whole story cannot be told through only one piece of art. People see different views and gain different perceptions from one paintings. Beside scenes, poses of characters and composition of work, the way the artist’s uses of light and color can significantly depict story and mood of works also. Thus, I see it’s very interesting that you have mentioned uses of tone and color. Like Both of paintings you chose to discuss, I can see the detail of characters’ posture of your first painting on the left hand side that the artist doesn’t really present Odysseus’ overwhelmed emotional and his willing to leave, and I can see that the second painting on the right side; Odysseus ‘poses and his composition that is closed to the edge can represent his rushing to leave or his feeling of dread and fearful. Both paintings are taking place in the imagination of underworld, poses and composition of characters can define what is going on in the underworld, but your color and light insight adds greater interpretations to the scene. I really love the idea of color that you talk about a concentration of light and shadow on Odysseus’ body as he is the only one that is alive in the underworld.
Hi Brian,
This is a very thoughtful response to these two (well-chosen!) paintings. Your analysis of the two artists’ use of color is particularly striking. In the Allori, the vivid foreground and increasingly shadowy background suggests a source of light roughly where the viewer stands–perhaps a fire (especially given the reddish, orangey hues). In the Fuseli, which is in many ways “lighter”–there’s so much white!!–there is no clear source of illumination, and what light there is is pale, leeching color out of everything rather than emphasizing color. What, in the text, is each painting drawing out? These seem to me to be very strong interpretations of the same scene–both true to the poem, but radically different in where they place their emphasis.
Well-done.
Prof Kolb