Oedipus and the Sphinx

Gustave Moreau

1864 · Oil on canvas · European Paintings

The legendary Greek prince Oedipus confronts the malevolent Sphinx, who torments travelers with a riddle: What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening? Remains of victims who answered incorrectly litter the foreground. (The solution is the human, who crawls as a baby, strides upright in maturity, and uses a cane in old age.) Moreau made his mark with this painting at the Paris Salon of 1864. Despite the growing prominence of depictions of everyday life, he portrayed biblical, mythological, and imagined stories. His otherworldly imagery inspired many younger artists and writers, including Odilon Redon and Oscar Wilde.

Artist

Gustave Moreau

Date

1864

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

European Paintings

Credit line

Bequest of William H. Herriman, 1920