Artwork Information

The source for this drawing comes from an engraving by the Swiss artist Conrad Meyer (1618–1689), in which a couple are shown in their dotage, their offspring wearing appropriate expressions of filial care and respect. Part of a series on the ages of man, it reflects the motto ‘Those children who do not look after their old parents will not be looked after by theirs.’ By contrast, Fuseli’s ancient couple remain heroic in spite of their physical collapse, yet one senses that their children find their duty is also a tyranny.