Antiochus and Stratonice
1838
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1838
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A sick prince lies in bed while a doctor checks his pulse. His father and stepmother stand nearby, worried. The room is dark except for the figures, lit like actors on a stage. This painting tells an old love story where a father gives up his young wife to save his dying son. Ingres painted it in the 1800s when people loved dramatic tales of sacrifice. Look closely—the doctor’s hand on the prince’s wrist is the only bright spot in the shadowy room. If you like this kind of storytelling in art, check out more works by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (French, 1780–1867).
