Artwork

Magog Thrown into the Sea (cartoon for the south wall, centre, of the ceiling cove, dining room, Dorchester House)

Magog Thrown into the Sea (cartoon for the south wall, centre, of the ceiling cove, dining room, Dorchester House) is an oil painting by the Realist artist Alfred Stevens. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Alfred Stevens’ oil painting *Magog Thrown into the Sea* (1860) was produced as a cartoon for the central panel of the south‑wall ceiling cove in the dining room of Dorchester House. Executed in a realist manner, the work now belongs to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays a male figure suspended in mid‑air, arms and legs outstretched, as he is cast into turbulent waters. Behind him a female presence, suggested as a mermaid or sea deity, emerges from the surf, while a stormy sky and crashing waves frame the dramatic moment of forced exile.

Technique & Style

Stevens employs a vigorous brushstroke and a vivid palette, accentuating the scene with strong chiaroscuro that separates the figures from a dark, tempestuous background. The handling of light and shadow creates depth, while the energetic rendering conveys motion and tension characteristic of his realist approach.

History & Provenance

Created in 1860, the canvas formed part of a series of decorative cartoons intended for Dorchester House’s dining‑room ceiling. After the house’s demolition, the painting entered the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s decorative arts holdings.

Context

Stevens, a Belgian artist active in Paris, was noted for his detailed genre scenes influenced by 17th‑century Dutch painting. Though best known for portraits of fashionable women, this work demonstrates his capacity to handle mythic subjects within the realist tradition, aligning with mid‑19th‑century tastes for historic and allegorical decoration in aristocratic interiors.