Orestes and the Erinyes - Gustave Moreau
Archival giclée
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Description
A Symbolist depiction of the Greek myth of Orestes, featuring dense architectural detail and ethereal figures by Gustave Moreau.
Gustave Moreau, a central figure in the French Symbolist movement, produced this work in 1891. It depicts the Greek myth of Orestes, who is pursued by the Erinyes (the Furies) after the matricide of Clytemnestra. The composition is dense with architectural detail and symbolic elements, characteristic of Moreau's mature style. Orestes is shown in a state of exhaustion, slumped at the base of an altar, while the spectral figures of the Erinyes loom above him.
The painting demonstrates a preoccupation with the intersection of the divine and the human. Moreau employs a heavy, almost jewel-like application of paint, creating a surface that feels encrusted with detail. The architectural setting, with its massive columns and ornate carvings, provides a claustrophobic environment that mirrors the psychological torment of the protagonist. The presence of the Erinyes, depicted with ethereal, glowing halos, contrasts with the physical vulnerability of Orestes.
Moreau was known for his rejection of contemporary realism, preferring instead to draw from classical mythology, biblical narratives, and occult imagery. His approach to colour is deliberate, using deep browns, ochres, and muted reds to ground the scene, while the figures themselves are illuminated with a supernatural light. This work reflects his interest in the decorative potential of the canvas, where every inch of space is filled with motifs, patterns, and textures. The result is a dreamlike, static atmosphere that invites close inspection of the individual components rather than a singular narrative focus. The painting remains a primary example of how late nineteenth-century artists utilised classical themes to explore internal states of mind and the weight of moral consequence.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Orestes and the Erinyes - Gustave Moreau
Artist Biography
Gustave Moreau
He was born in Paris in 1826, a sickly, solitary child who drew compulsively. He trained at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and fell under the influence of Theodore Chasseriau, an eclectic painter whose depictions of enigmatic sea goddesses left a permanent mark. Chasseriau's death in 1856 shook Moreau badly enough to send him to Italy for two years, where he copied Mantegna, Carpaccio and the Venetians, filling notebooks with studies that fed his work for decades.
His breakthrough came at the 1864 Salon with Oedipus and the Sphinx, a painting that fused classical mythology with a strange, jewelled intensity that critics struggled to categorise. He became the foremost Symbolist painter, working in a style guided by what has been called Neo-Platonist faith: a belief that the physical world was imperfect and that art could capture something closer to divine vision. He never married, regarding the career of an artist as "a true priesthood", though he maintained a discreet relationship with Alexandrine Dureux for decades, subsidising an apartment for her near his family home.
As a teacher at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Moreau proved unexpectedly open-minded. His students included Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault, both of whom credited his insistence on personal expression over academic formula. Andre Breton and Salvador Dali later claimed his Symbolist imagery as a direct precursor to Surrealism.
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