Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld
1809
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1809
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Telemachus Requests Permission from Pluto to Seek His Father in the Underworld is a 1809 ink by Bartolomeo Pinelli, a Romanticism work, depicting Aeneas, held at National Gallery of Art.
This ink drawing shows Telemachus kneeling before Pluto, god of the underworld, asking for help. The scene mixes myth and drama, with Pluto seated on a throne and Telemachus begging at his feet. Pluto’s face is calm but firm, making the moment feel tense. Pinelli loved myths and often drew them this way. His lines are crisp and controlled, showing how he planned bigger works. The wash adds depth without color. Look closely at how Penelli uses cross-hatching to shape the figures.
