Haemon Discovering the Body of Antigone

Fuseli’s interest in classical Greek tragedy inspired this drawing of a scene from Antigone by Sophocles. In the play’s conclusion, the body of Antigone, who has been sealed in a cave and left to die by King Creon of Thebes, is discovered by her betrothed, Haemon, Creon’s son. Fuseli selects the climactic moment when Creon enters the cave to see Haemon draw his sword and take his own life in reaction to Antigone’s death. Dramatic lighting focuses attention on the action, while expressive gestures drawn from theater, such as Creon’s outstretched arms, heighten the emotional intensity (2022).