Odyssey Cycle 4
1864
Friedrich Preller the Elder throws us right into the chaotic finale of the Trojan War! On the left, the giant wooden horse stands as a silent witness to the city's fall, while the foreground is a mess of battling soldiers and despairing figures. The central ruin—which looks strikingly like the real Tomb of Caecilia Metella in Rome—anchors the scene in a rugged, romantic landscape. This painting is part of Preller's famous Odyssey cycle, depicting the destruction of Troy that kicks off Odysseus's long, winding journey home. It’s a perfect example of German Romanticism, where nature and ruins dwarf human drama.
- Technique
- Oil painting