'Iphigenia at Aulis (Agamemnon's perspective)', lithograph

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The painting 'Self-delusion and self-denial' and this lithograph are companion pieces. The project is inspired by Euripides’ tragedy 'Iphigeneia in Aulis'. While the painting views the situation from Iphigenia's perspective, the lithograph presents the situation from Agamemnon's perspective.

 

The Greek army wants to lay siege to the city of Troy, but their fleet is becalmed at Aulis. A seer prophecies that the winds will pick up again if the army officer, Agamemnon, sacrifices his daughter, Iphigenia.

The lithograph depicts Agamemnon's tormented state of mind as he anguishes about whether or not to sacrifice his daughter. He can't stop worrying about other people's expectations. He feels powerless to speak his own mind. And, as the saying goes, a man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears: Agamemnon is no longer in a fit state to know his own mind. He allows other people's opinions - or at any rate, the opinions he thinks they hold - to direct his course of action. He is under enormous pressure. And eventually he succumbs.

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