Avonturen van Telemachus

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Simon Fokke’s 1775 etching “Avonturen van Telemachus” offers a delicate glimpse into an enduring classical tale. The subject draws from the adventures of Telemachus, son of Odysseus, as retold in François Fénelon’s popular 1699 novel. At only 146 × 97 mm, the print was almost certainly created as a book illustration, a format in which Dutch etchers excelled during the Enlightenment. Etching allowed Fokke to achieve fine, expressive lines that brought narrative energy to small pages. Such prints helped spread literary and moral stories across Europe at a time when affordable images reached gro...

About the Artist

Simon Fokke · 1712–1784

Comment on works: Draugstman; Portrait