Orpheus and Eurydice

Künstler*in Anselm Feuerbach (1829 Speyer – 1880 Venedig)

Object typePainting
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions
200 × 126,5 cm
SignatureSign. und dat. links unten: A. Feuerbach. / R. 69.
Inventory number1719
Locations Derzeit nicht ausgestellt
The mythical singer Orpheus, followed by Eurydice, strides forward decisively. He had ventured into the underworld in a desperate attempt to rescue his wife. And he succeeded in persuading Pluto to release Eurydice, but under one condition: Orpheus was not allowed to turn back to his beloved as they ascended. The figures’ heavy, classical-style garments are the focus of our attention. Their hemlines follow the same curve, expressing the figures’ attachment and their ascent in unison. But whereas Orpheus gazes upward toward the light, Eurydice lowers her head. A mere moment later, her husband would hesitate for a second, before looking round and losing his beloved forever.

Henriette Feuerbach, the Artist's Stepmother