Oedipus and the Sphinx (Oedipe et le Sphinx)
Painting on canvas • Gustave Moreau
Style & Movement
Symbolism / Academic Art (French School)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing fine glazing, tight brushwork, and detailed jewel-like rendering characteristic of Symbolist academicism.
Creation Period
1864
Dimensions & Format
206.4 x 104.8 cm (81.3 x 41.3 in); Vertical Portrait format
Subject Description
A mythological scene depicting Oedipus confronting the Sphinx on a narrow cliff ledge. The Sphinx, a creature with the head of a woman and the body of a winged lion, is physically clinging to Oedipus, staring intensely into his eyes as he solves her riddle. Below are the remains of previous travelers. The composition emphasizes a psychological and spiritual confrontation between man and the monstrous unknown.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent/Very Good; the work appears well-maintained within a museum environment with stable paint layers and vibrant color saturation.
Estimated Market Value
$25,000,000 - $40,000,000 (Estimated for a primary masterpiece of this caliber; currently in a permanent museum collection)
Auction Estimate
$20,000,000 - $35,000,000
Provenance History
Purchased by Prince Napoléon in 1864; eventually acquired by William H. Herriman; bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in 1920.
Art Historical Significance
This painting established Gustave Moreau's reputation at the Paris Salon of 1864. It is considered a seminal work of the Symbolist movement, signaling a shift from traditional Neoclassicism toward a more psychological, dream-like, and ornamental approach to mythology. It influenced a wide range of artists, from Odilon Redon to the Surrealists.
Notable Features
Housed in a grand 19th-century gilded frame with elaborate scrollwork. Notable for its 'frozen' tension, androgynous figure of Oedipus, and the use of a high-horizon rocky landscape that evokes the Italian Renaissance (specifically Mantegna and Da Vinci).
Condition Issues
Minor stable craquelure consistent with age; light surface dust; historical varnish may show slight yellowing under UV, though it appears recently cleaned.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strictly controlled humidity (45-55%) and temperature (20-22°C); low-UV lighting; periodic surface inspection by a professional conservator.