MAZEPPA TIED TO WILD HORSE – DRAMATIC LEGEND – 1892 Antique Engraving

This original 1892 antique engraving titled Mazeppa illustrates a harrowing moment from the legendary tale popularized by Lord Byron. The dramatic composition shows the Ukrainian nobleman Mazeppa, stripped and bound to a wild horse, collapsed on the ground after a brutal journey across the wilderness. His eyes turn upward in desperation as the fallen horse lies beside him, limbs tangled and body limp, while a bird circles overhead. The bleak terrain and fading sky heighten the emotional tension and physical exhaustion of the scene.

This gripping image draws on the romantic fascination with endurance, punishment, and survival, echoing Byron’s poetic retelling and the enduring 19th-century artistic interest in tortured heroes. Rendered with powerful contrasts and exquisite anatomical detail, the engraving captures both violence and vulnerability. The print is blank on the reverse and measures approximately 8.25 x 11.75 inches—an evocative and collectible piece for lovers of literature, romantic art, or heroic legend.