Ashmolean The Elements of Drawing, John Ruskin’s teaching collection at Oxford

The lithograph shows Triptolemus in his chariot, clutching stalks of wheat; Hermes stands before him, holding his caduceus. It reproduces the decoration of a black-figure amphora then in the Museum at Compiègne. The print was plate XLVIII in the third volume of Lenormant and de Witte's "Elite des monuments céramographiques", published in 1858. It was presumably taken from Ruskin's copy of the work now preserved in the Ruskin Library (inventory no. 1996B2621), which is missing many of its plates.

The print was first catalogued by Ruskin in 1870, when it appeared as no 23 I in the Educational Series in the "Catalogue of Examples", entitled "Triptolemus of the early time" and accompanying plates from Lenormant and de Witte representing Selene and Triptolemus. In 1871, it had moved slightly to no. 23 H, placed in Case II, "Elementary Illustrations of Greek Design". It remained in the same position, although renumbered as no. 46, in the 1874 catalogue of the series, but does not appear in Ruskin's 1878 reorganisation of the series.

In the "Catalogue of Examples", Ruskin noted how Hermes was included in place of wings on the chariot, to symbolise clouds; and he instructed his students to draw the outlines in pen.