"Oedipus and the Sphinx" (see related A | B) Vatican Museum, Vatican City, Vatican, Italy

One of the most famous and outstanding representation of Oedipus and the Sphinx. The image is a metaphoric representation of a riddle - "What walks on 4 feet in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 3 at night"? Oedipus answer was "Man" (as an infant, adult and in old age). The Sphinx, humiliated, committed suicide. This brought freedom to the Thebans. (The rest of the prophecies that made the life of Oedipus a tragedy is summarized in the companion "word-idea" - Oedipus).