Andromeda chained to the Rock by the Nereids

Chassériau painted Andromeda chained to the rock by the Nereids in 1840, reimagining the Perseus myth with a focus on feminine beauty and peril. At age 21, Chassériau was already moving beyond Ingres's influence, developing a more sensuous, colorful approach that would define his mature style. Chassériau's oil technique combined Ingres's sculptural clarity of contour with Delacroix's warm Venetian colorism, creating works of unusual poetic power that influenced Gustave Moreau and later Symbolist

Chassériau renders the chained nude with luminous flesh tones that combine Ingres's smooth modeling with a warmer, more sensuous palette. The sea nymphs and the dramatic coastal setting add Romantic atmosphere to the classical subject.