{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O185934"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O185934/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT0111/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT0111/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT0111","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU9679","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O185934/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O185934","accessionNumber":"FA.698","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Oedipus cursing his son Polynices","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Watercolour entitled 'Oedipus cursing his son Polynices', depicting an elderly blind Oedipus pointing angrily at his son, who is kneeling on the ground before his father, twisting his head and body in the opposite direction.  ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Henry Fuseli","id":"A8410"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"water-colour","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour","categories":[{"text":"Myths & Legends","id":"THES49005"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AT0111","2017JU9679"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"WS (VA)","id":"THES49603"},"free":"","case":"R","shelf":"5","box":"L"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1786","earliest":"1781-01-01","latest":"1790-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"51.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"from catalogue","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"46.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"from catalogue","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental notes","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"There is a stipple engraving of this drawing by John Perry, museum number 18640.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Watercolour by Henry Fuseli entitled 'Oedipus cursing his son Polynices', from 'Oedipus Coloneus' by Sophocles.  Great Britain, ca. 1786.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Cogeval, Guy & Avanzi, Beatrice (Eds.), <i>De la Scene au Tableau</i>, Paris : Flammarion, 2009","id":"AUTH356579"},"details":"53","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Henry Fuseli's dramatic painting, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1786, depicts the climax of Sophocles' 'Oedipus at Colonus'. In this ancient Greek tragedy, King Oedipus had gone into self-imposed exile at Colonus, a town near Athens, after discovering to his horror that  he had unwittingly murdered his father and married his own mother. \nThe kneeling Polynices, one of Oedipus’ two sons, hopes to win his father's favour over his brother Eteocles had usurped the throne. Outraged by both his unfaithful sons, Oedipus condemns them to die in battle by each other's hand.  The blind king extends his powerful arms to curse them, while Polynices recoils as if struck a painful blow. Standing between her father and brother, Antigone, Oedipus's loyal daughter (and sister) seeks reconciliation. Her weeping sister, Ismene, personifies sorrow to contrast with Antigone's strength of will."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Oedipus","id":"N249"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"blindness","id":"AAT55145"},{"text":"gesture","id":"AAT56179"},{"text":"father","id":"AAT25931"},{"text":"sons","id":"AAT154350"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Oedipus Coloneus by Sophocles"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FA.698"],"accessionNumberNum":"698","accessionNumberPrefix":"FA","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-02","availableToBook":false}}