Polyphemus Eating Ulysses' Men, as Achaemides Watches - Antonio Tempesta

A dramatic seventeenth-century etching by Antonio Tempesta depicting the cyclops Polyphemus from Homer's Odyssey.

This etching by Antonio Tempesta depicts a grim episode from Homer's Odyssey. The cyclops Polyphemus sits in the foreground, consuming the companions of Ulysses, while the terrified Achaemides observes from the shadows. Tempesta, a Florentine artist known for his prolific output of prints, demonstrates his mastery of line and narrative composition here. The work is part of a larger series illustrating Ovid's Metamorphoses or similar classical texts, which were widely circulated across Europe during the seventeenth century.

The composition focuses on the muscular, singular-eyed figure of the giant. Tempesta uses cross-hatching to define the anatomy of Polyphemus and the rocky terrain of the Sicilian coast. The inclusion of the pan pipes, resting near the discarded remains of the victims, provides a chilling contrast to the violence of the scene. The figure of Achaemides, peeking from behind a rock formation, adds a psychological dimension to the print, capturing the horror of the witness.

Tempesta's technique relies on clear, decisive strokes that define form without excessive shading. This clarity allowed his prints to be reproduced effectively for book illustrations and private collections. The Latin inscription at the base, 'Vlyssis socios deuorat Polyphemus', identifies the subject for the contemporary viewer. As a representative example of early seventeenth-century Italian printmaking, this work displays the technical precision and dramatic flair characteristic of the period. The print remains a compelling study of classical mythology, rendered with the directness and narrative focus that defined Tempesta's career as an etcher and draughtsman.