The Odyssey Of Homer Engraved From The Compositions Of Iohn Flaxman R·A· Sculptor, London.

RA Collection: Book

Record number

06/751

Imprint

London:: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees & Orme, Paternoster Row, R.H. Evans, Pall Mall, W. Miller, Albemarle Street, & I. & A. Arch, Cornhill,, March 1st. 1805.

Physical Description

T.pl., 34 pl.; 259×410 mm.

Responsibility Note

The title-plate is unsigned. The numbered plates are signed as engraved by Parker (pl. 1, 3, 4, 7, 10-12, 14-17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34) or Neagle (pl. 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27, 30, 31, 33).

References

G. E. Bentley, The early engravings of Flaxman's classical designs: a bibliographical study (1964).

On Flaxman's Homer see Flaxman: la difusion del modelo clasico: Homero, Esquilo, Hesiodo, Dante [exhibition catalogue] (1996); R.N. Essick, Flaxman's illustrations to Homer (1977). On his outline drawings generally see the bibliographic note on Compositions From The Tragedies of Aeschylus Designed By Iohn Flaxman (1795).

On Homeric subjects in art see the bibliographic note on F. Inghirami's Galleria Omerica (1831).

Summary Note

The numbered plates show episodes from the Odyssey, and are captioned with quotations from Pope's translation.

The present edition has six plates more than earlier editions (pl. 1, 3, 10, 11, 15, 34). The work had first been published in 1793 in London, with the engravings by Piroli (The Odyssey Of Homer Engraved By Thomas Piroli From The Compositions Of Iohn Flaxman Sculptor Rome 1793), with 28 numbered plates. A second edition had been published in the same year, but printed from different plates. A third edition had been published in Paris in 1803, with 28 numbered plates.

Twenty-seven of Flaxman's original drawings for the Odyssey are preserved in the Royal Academy.

Binding Note

20th-century half green morocco, green cloth-covered boards; gilt-decorated spine lettered 'Flaxman's Iliad And Odyssey.', 'R.A.' and '1805'. Bound with engravings of Flaxman's designs for the Iliad (1805).

Name as Subject

Homer, Iliad
Odysseus (Greek mythology)
John Flaxman RA

Subject

Mythology, Greek - Heroes - Trojan War
Greek poetry - Epics - Epic poetry
Drawings - 19th century - Great Britain - Neoclassical
Pictorial works - Illustrated books - Great Britain - 19th century

Contributors

John Flaxman RA, source artist
Homer, Odyssey
James Parker, engraver
Robert Harding Evans, publisher
William Richard Beckford Miller, publisher
John Arch, publisher
Arthur Arch, publisher
Alexander Pope, translator
James Neagle, engraver
Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme, publisher
John and Arthur Arch, publisher