Who painted Ulysses and Polyphemus?

Ulysses and Polyphemus was painted by John Baptist Jackson in 1701.

Where can I see Ulysses and Polyphemus?

Ulysses and Polyphemus is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Ulysses and Polyphemus?

Ulysses and Polyphemus is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Ulysses and Polyphemus?

Museum-quality prints of Ulysses and Polyphemus are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Ulysses and Polyphemus

John Baptist Jackson , 1701

Ulysses and Polyphemus is an ink print by the Baroque artist John Baptist Jackson. It dates from 1701 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in image: J. 9

About this work

Overview

Created in 1701, Ulysses and Polyphemus is a chiaroscuro woodcut by the British printmaker John Baptist Jackson. The image is produced from two separate woodblocks, one inked in yellow‑green, the other in black, and printed on laid paper, giving the work a distinctive tonal contrast and depth.

Subject & Meaning

The composition illustrates a moment from the myth of Ulysses and the Cyclops Polyphemus. A robed statue stands on a pedestal amid ruined columns, while two figures in antiquated dress gesture toward it; a shepherd watches his flock below. The scene combines classical architecture with a pastoral landscape, suggesting the interplay of heroic narrative and everyday life.

Technique & Style

Jackson employed a chiaroscuro method that layers ink from two blocks to model light and shadow. His use of oil‑based inks, formulated by the artist himself, allows subtle overprinting, expanding the palette beyond the binary black and white of traditional woodcuts. The print also features embossing, which accentuates texture on the stone‑like surfaces.

History & Provenance

The work remains documented in several European collections, evidencing its circulation among connoisseurs of the period.

Active in the early eighteenth century, Jackson worked in artistic centers such as Paris and Venice, where he developed his approach of translating oil paintings into woodcut form. Ulysses and Polyphemus reflects this practice, moving away from the earlier convention of copying ink‑and‑wash drawings. The work remains documented in several European collections, evidencing its circulation among connoisseurs of the period.

Context

During Jackson’s career, chiaroscuro woodcut was experiencing a revival, particularly in Italy and France. By integrating color and relief, Jackson’s prints responded to contemporary tastes for richly modeled images that could rival painted works, while still exploiting the reproducibility of printmaking.