No literary work of antiquity has had such a strong influence on the further development of world culture as the immortal poems of Homer, the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey." Centuries have passed, yet the alluring power of the poems of the legendary epic poet of ancient Greece is relentless. A world separated from our days by decades of centuries still seems extraordinarily close thanks to the genius of the poet, who preserved in verse the rhythms of contemporary life. The "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" encompass everything: dramatic conflicts, dangerous adventures, and tender feelings. All of this repeatedly attracts the attention of readers and inspires poets and artists.
Among the illustrators of Homer's poems was John Flaxman (1755–1826) — an English artist whom Erwin Panofsky called a "romantic classicist." A wonderful draftsman and sculptor, Flaxman closely studied the monuments of ancient art. The series of illustrations for the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey," included in this publication, are considered some of the best works in the artist's creative legacy.
