Cymon and Iphigenia
1796
James Gillray, the undisputed king of British caricature, takes a classic romantic tale and turns it into a grotesque joke. In the original story, a rough man named Cymon sees the beautiful Iphigenia sleeping and is instantly civilized by the power of love. Here, Gillray flips the script: we get a hunched, monstrous Cymon leering at a snoring, decidedly unglamorous Iphigenia in a red dress. It's a hilarious, biting satire on the idea of love at first sight, proving that even in the 18th century, artists loved to poke fun at high-minded romantic ideals.
- Technique
- pen and ink with watercolor wash
- Material
- paper
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