An unusual myth told vividly by Ovid, which appears never to have been painted. But there are some fine engravings, and a marvellous watercolour by Blake.
Doré
When did spiders and their webs first start appearing as motifs in paintings and prints? Who was the inspiration for Spider-Man?
Hardly painted before 1800, there has since been a succession of brilliant paintings of this story. Its focus has changed, from the tension as Oedipus tries to answer the riddle, to the femme fatale.
Known exclusively for his illustrations, Doré painted many large works in oils. He was a master story-teller in those too.