Oedipus and the Sphinx

About this work

This painting shows a nude man with dark hair, sitting on a rock. He wears a red cloth draped over his left shoulder, and his left hand points downward. A sword is strapped to his back, and a skull and bones are at his feet. In the background, a large, winged creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human is visible. The scene is set against a backdrop of rocks and a distant landscape. The man's pose and the creature's presence suggest a dramatic and possibly mythological scene. The artist's use of chiaroscuro, with strong contrasts between light and dark, adds depth and tension to the image. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, explore the technique of chiaroscuro.