3-043-768 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"Andromeda," by J. S. Westmacott, 1872. 'The classic fable of Andromeda's exposure to the sea-monster and her deliverance by Perseus has been frequently selected as a subject for representation by modern artists, as well as ancient masters...The theme has the recommendation of affording a motive to the sculptor or painter for treating the nude (that noblest field of artistic study) without in itself furnishing any suggestion whatever of mere sensuousness. Mr. Westmacott has evidently selected this subject of Andromeda bound to the rock as a means for presenting a graceful female figure in expressive action, rather than with a view of realising the full dramatic peril of her fabled situation; and the sculptor has been quite successful within his somewhat limited aim. Her chained ankles and her attitude as she puts her hand to her head on descrying, or attempting to descry, the monster, are sufficient for identification, but there is no contortion of agony or dread. To represent Andromeda as seated is somewhat of a novelty, but this favours a graceful composition of the limbs. The figure has the slender proportions characteristic of the Munich school, where, we believe, Mr. Westmacott studied early in his career'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.