Odysseus and Polyphemus – 1896

Odysseus and Polyphemus – 1896

By Arnold Böcklin (Swiss, 1827–1901)

Oil on canvas

Height: 66 cm | Width: 150 cm

Arnold Böcklin’s Odysseus and Polyphemus is a striking and unconventional rendition of a famous episode from Homer’s Odyssey. A master of symbolic and mythological imagery, Böcklin draws on his roots as a landscape painter to produce a dynamic, intense portrayal of escape, fury, and natural drama.

The painting depicts the moment after Odysseus blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus and escapes his island. From the safety of his ship, Odysseus taunts the wounded giant, who in a fit of rage hurls a massive boulder at the fleeing vessel. Jagged rocks, crashing waves, and a tempestuous sky all work together to create a sense of violent energy and ancient mythic chaos.

Unlike his academic contemporaries, who approached mythology with solemn reverence, Böcklin emphasized the grotesque, strange, and raw elements of these tales. His vision evokes a pre-Classical world ruled not by harmony and beauty, but by primal conflict and savage emotion.

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