Artwork

Cormar Attacking the Spirit of the Waters (Ossian, Fingal, Book III)

Cormar Attacking the Spirit of the Waters (Ossian, Fingal, Book III) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Alexander Runciman. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Cormar Attacking the Spirit of the Waters is an etching on wove paper created by Alexander Runciman around 1774. It illustrates a scene from the Ossianic cycle, a legendary epic poem.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a muscular figure, Cormar, kneeling on a wave and battling an unseen entity in the water, as described in Book III of Fingal. The scene is set against a turbulent background of swirling waves and stormy clouds.

Technique & Style

Runciman employed sharp lines to convey movement and emotion, creating a dynamic scene. This style, characteristic of 18th-century dramatic narrative art, was achieved through the etching technique, which allowed for detailed and expressive prints.

Artist & collection

Artist

Alexander Runciman

Alexander Runciman (15 August 1736 – 4 October 1785) was a Scottish painter of historical and mythological subjects. He was the elder brother of John Runciman, also a painter.