ONE LOVELY DRAWING, part 78

I love this illustration of Eurystheus being frightened by creatures from Hades.  It was drawn over 3,000 years ago by a Greek artist from a workshop in Caere.  

When have you seen a better illustration of "Yikes!" ?

I love the abstract conglomeration of snapping jaws and hissing snakes.  I love that Eurystheus has pathetically tried to find safety in a large urn. His eyes are popped wide, his arms thrown up in fright (notice how sensitively the ancient artist drew that vulnerable hand, menaced by that serpent), and his mouth is curled back in fear. 

The flesh tones are as modern as Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon or Jenny Saville

3,000 years ago artists already understood the importance of design, apparently better than many professional artists working today:

The subsequent 3,000 years brought all the advantages this artist never had: vastly improved art tools,  digital or analog, delivered to his door; his global choice of art teachers accessible 24/7 through the internet; artificial light to expand his work day, air conditioning and a soft chair to enable him to work in comfort; a vast library of high resolution images to help him find inspiration in 3,000 years of precedents; regular meals to keep his belly full; glasses for when his eyes weakened and health care for when his hand began to shake. 

Yet, look at illustrations in today's publications and tell me what those 3,000 years of progress have added to the quality of our pictures.