During the 1930s classical art and literature played an important role in the work of artists and writers throughout Europe, and especially in Paris, the cultural capital of the age. The interest Georges Braque (1882-1963) had in classical culture developed into something of an obsession, and when he was approached by the famous publisher Ambroise Vollard to illustrate a book, Braque chose Hesiod's Theogony. The story, as the title implies, revolves around the creation of the world through endless pairings and battles between the gods, two of which are seen here. The suite of prints is characterised by a linear style inspired by images found on very early Greek and Etruscan terracottas and bronzes.