The Escaped Prisoner
Title
The Escaped Prisoner
Alt Text Description
Grayscale illustration of an elderly prisoner pushing through a crowd and grasping the cloak of a nobly-dressed, young man who frowns at him.
Description
In the decorated Piazza del Duomo, the elderly prisoner Baldassarre pushes through the crowd and seizes the arm of the finely dressed Tito Melema as soldiers and spectators look on. The image captures the instant of recognition and denial, exposing Tito’s betrayal as Baldassarre clings to him in public desperation.
“But in mounting the steps, his foot received a shock; he was precipitated towards the group of signori, whose backs were turned to him, and was only able to recover his balance as he clutched one of them by the arm. It was Tito Melema who felt that clutch. He turned his head, and saw the face of his adoptive father, Baldassarre Calvo, close to his own" ("The Prisoners", Chapter 22).
“But in mounting the steps, his foot received a shock; he was precipitated towards the group of signori, whose backs were turned to him, and was only able to recover his balance as he clutched one of them by the arm. It was Tito Melema who felt that clutch. He turned his head, and saw the face of his adoptive father, Baldassarre Calvo, close to his own" ("The Prisoners", Chapter 22).
Illustrator
Leighton, Frederic (1830-1896)
Contributor
Swain, Joseph (1820-1909), engraver
Publisher
George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org
Date
1863, 1880
Rights
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Work Illustrated
Romola
Citation
Leighton, Frederic (1830-1896), The Escaped Prisoner, George Eliot Illustrations Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/83596
Illustration
