1662
oil
canvas
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
Dominant colour
Homer Dictating is a 1662 oil by Pier Francesco Mola, a Baroque work, held at Art Institute of Chicago.
A man in a red robe leans over a boy’s shoulder, pointing at a book. The boy scribbles on a long scroll that spills across the table. Golden light spills through a window, pooling on their faces and hands. This painting shows Homer, the ancient Greek poet, dictating his verses. The scene is quiet, almost like a snapshot of a lesson. The artist never met Homer—he painted this nearly 2,000 years after Homer lived. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how light and shadow shape the mood here.
Pier Francesco Mola, called Il Ticinese was an Italian painter of the High Baroque, mainly active around Rome.
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