Angelica salvata da Ruggiero
1819-39
Imagine being chained to a rock as a sea monster approaches—that’s the predicament of Angelica here, until Ruggiero swoops in on a hippogriff to save the day. This scene comes from the Italian epic poem *Orlando Furioso*, and Ingres captures the tension perfectly with the knight’s gleaming gold armor contrasting against Angelica’s pale skin. Interestingly, Ingres was a perfectionist who worked on versions of this theme for twenty years, from 1819 to 1839. The flying beast is a hippogriff, a legendary creature that is half-eagle and half-horse, adding a fantastic element to this neoclassical masterpiece.
- Technique
- Oil painting
Location: Louvre Museum
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