An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Sarcophagusc. 100–125 CE
The tragic figure Orestes appears three times on the front of this sarcophagus, always wielding a short sword. In the center he stands over the body of his mother Clytemnestra, and at center left over the body of her lover Aegisthus. Orestes has killed them both to avenge their murder of his father Agamemnon, upon his return from years of fighting at Troy. At the far left, three Furies (avenging spirits) rest upon Agamemnon's tomb, while at the far right, Orestes atones for the murders at the Delphian shrine of Apollo, marked by a tripod and rock. On the lid, four reclining women symbolize the seasons, arranged in right-to-left order: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, as indicated by their dress and the contents of their baskets.
From the Greek word for “flesh-eating,” <em>sarcophagus </em>is now used generically for “coffin.”
Greek marble
Overall: 210 cm (82 11/16 in.)
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
Beneath the cold shadows of history, a somber tale unfolds on the surface of an ancient sarcophagus. Here, the tragic hero Orestes emerges three times, his presence marked by the unyielding grip of a short sword. Each image tells a facet of his sorrow, a man trapped in the throes of vengeance and despair.
In the very heart of the scene, there he stands—Orestes, a figure of resolute anguish—looming over the lifeless body of his mother, Clytemnestra. The air thickens with the weight of his actions as he grapples with the pain of his duty; a son forced to exact retribution for the murder of his father, Agamemnon. Years had passed since Agamemnon returned from the brutal battlefields of Troy, only to find his life brought to an end by those he once held dear.
Shift your gaze to the left, and you will see the malevolent Aegisthus sprawled on the ground, a victim of Orestes’ grim vow. It is an image painted with shades of darkness—a scene of violence entwined with the necessity of justice, yet drenched in an ocean of grief.
At the far left of this narrative tableau, three ominous Furies, avenging spirits from the deep recesses of the mythic realm, hover silently above Agamemnon's tomb. Their presence looms, a reminder that vengeance is often chased by haunting guilt, their eyes forever watching as they ensure no transgression goes unpunished.
And yet, all is not despair. To the far right, a more hopeful moment unfurls. Orestes, weary and troubled, kneels at the shrine of Apollo in Delphi, a place that signifies purification and atonement. The sacred tripod and rock stand as markers of his journey—a reminder that even in the depths of darkness, there lies a path toward redemption.
The lid of the sarcophagus provides a striking contrast to the tumult below. Four women, dreamlike and serene, recline gracefully, embodying the seasons of life. In a gentle procession from right to left, Winter wraps herself in white furs, heralding the harshness of solitude. Spring follows, adorned in blooming colors and the promise of renewal. Summer, vibrant and lush, evokes the joys of life, while Autumn, cloaked in rich hues of gold, signifies the wisdom of change and the acceptance of time’s passage. Their baskets, filled with nature's bounty, speak to the cycles that continue to turn, even amidst the trials of humanity.
In this carved narrative of stone and shadow, Orestes dances through the spectrum of existence, a poignant reminder that within every story of tragedy lies the potential for transformation and redemption. Though his journey through grief and vengeance carries a heavy weight, the seasons above him whisper hope—that life, in all its cruelty, is also a canvas of beauty, forever evolving.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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