Terms and conditions of use
The Soul crossing the Styx
(1844-1883)
Medium
oil on paper on canvas
Measurements
28.7 × 39.8 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1921
Gallery location
19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
In 1826 Edward Calvert met Samuel Palmer and became a member of the Blake circle in London. Under William Blake’s influence he produced a number of small-scale, minutely detailed and imaginative engravings, drawings and watercolours. In 1844 he travelled to Greece, and from this period date a number of oil paintings of arcadian subjects, including the two examples displayed here. In ancient Greek literature, the ferryman Charon sailed souls from the land of the living across the River Styx to the domain of the dead.
Artwork Details
Accession Number
1198-3
Department
International Painting
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Subjects (general)
Human Figures Religion and Mythology
Subjects (specific)
boats Charon (Greek character) classicism deaths rivers souls Styx (Greek legendary river)