Charon and the Souls of the Dead

Charon and the Souls of the Dead — Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. c. 1858.

Medium: Pen and brown ink and graphite on antique laid paper (recto), black chalk on antique laid paper (verso). Dimensions: Sheet: 16.1 x 22.4 cm (6 5/16 x 8 13/16 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

This drawing was likely created during time that Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux spent in Rome, where he studied the work of Renaissance masters. Carpeaux was particularly influenced by Michelangelo, especially the Italian sculptor’s compositions featuring twisted bodies and stacked forms. This drawing is one of several that were created in preparation for a painting—which was never completed—of Charon, responsible for ferrying deceased souls to the world of the dead.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.