Oedipus Rex and Jocasta by Renoir

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French Artist, 1841-1919
Panel for Oedipus: Jocasta, and Panel for Oedipus: King Oedipus
Both Panels: circa 1895, Oil on Canvas, 96.1 x 36.5 cm, Private Collection
https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6452011?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6452011&from=salessummary&lid=1

Citizens of my beloved Thebes!  See now your great Oedipus!
That famous man who knew the answers of great riddles.  That man whose good fortune every man in Thebes envied!  See now in what monstrous storm of misfortune he has fallen… Let’s not praise a man for his good Fate unless he has arrived at his final day, having escaped bad Fate…
The last Chorus lines of Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex convey a sense of profound realization and acceptance of the futility of human efforts against fate and destiny. Do the paintings of Oedipus Rex and Jocasta by Renoir reflect Sophocles’ point of view? How did the great Impressionist artist decide to explore such a subject matter? https://bacchicstage.wordpress.com/sophocles/oedipus-rex/

The myth of Oedipus revolves around a tragic prophecy that foretells Oedipus, the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, would kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to avoid this fate, Oedipus is abandoned as a baby but is later adopted and raised by another royal family. Unaware of his true parentage, Oedipus grows up and, through a series of unfortunate events, unwittingly fulfills the prophecy by killing his father, King Laius, in a chance encounter on the road and subsequently marrying his mother, Queen Jocasta. When the truth is revealed, Jocasta tragically takes her own life, and Oedipus blinds himself in horror and shame. The Oedipus myth explores themes of fate, free will, and the inevitability of destiny, serving as a classic example of Greek tragedy.

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex stands as a timeless masterpiece of Greek tragedy, skillfully weaving a narrative that delves into the complexities of fate and the human condition. The play’s exploration of the inevitable clash between individual free will and the predetermined course of destiny is masterfully executed. The intricate use of dramatic irony, the relentless pursuit of truth, and the psychological unraveling of Oedipus and that of his mother Jocasta, contribute to the play’s enduring impact, making it a powerful and thought-provoking work that continues to captivate audiences and provoke contemplation on the intricacies of human existence.

These characteristics of drama seem to have inspired none other than the famous Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who, in 1895, created two panels moved by Sophocles’ tragedy, depicting the protagonists of the play, Oedipus Rex, and Jocasta.

When viewed side-by-side, Christie’s experts tell us, Renoir’s two panels depicting Jocasta and Oedipus illustrate the full tension of the tragedy, their bodies seeming to push away from one another, whilst an unseen magnetic connection– an allegory for the inescapable strength of the prophecy– pulls them together. Renoir skillfully employs dynamic poses to enhance the drama of the narrative, and his vibrant choice of red alludes to the bloodshed in the tale. The artist embellishes the central figures on both panels with grisaille bas-reliefs and trompe l’oeil imitation of columns and stone, a rare example of Antique-inspired decoration within the artist’s oeuvre. https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6452011?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6452011&from=salessummary&lid=1

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French Artist, 1841-1919
Panel for Oedipus: Jocasta, and Panel for Oedipus: King Oedipus
Both Panels:circa 1895, Oil on Canvas, 96.1 x 36.5 cm, Private Collection
https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6452011?ldp_breadcrumb=back&intObjectID=6452011&from=salessummary&lid=1
https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Panneau-pour-Odipe–Odipe-roi/676741683B0A87196FE13FBA024B87C8

Both paintings are indicative of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s interest in the world of Antiquity, and particularly his reaction to the Pompeiian wall paintings he saw, and deeply admired, when he visited Italy in the fall of 1881 to mid-January 1882. In an 1882 letter to Mme George Charpentiere, he wrote… J’ai beaucoup étudié le Musée de Naples, les peintures de Pompéi sont extrêmement intéressantes à tous points de vue… https://chat.openai.com/c/c667ff6c-ca07-41ec-a3b0-29c824c174c3 Renoir’s Trip to Italy by Barbara Ehrlich White, The Art Bulletin, Vol. 51, No. 4 (Dec., 1969), pp. 333-351 (29 pages) p.350

Mythology, figures of ancient tragedy, (Project for Oedipus), 1895, oil on Canvas, 41,2 x 24,4 x 2 cm, Musée Picasso, Paris, France
https://www.palazzoroverella.com/renoir-alba-di-un-nuovo-classicismo/
Mythology, figures of ancient tragedy, (Project for Oedipus), 1895, oil on Canvas, 41,2 x 24,4 x 2 cm, Musée Picasso, Paris, France
https://www.palazzoroverella.com/renoir-alba-di-un-nuovo-classicismo/

The paintings of Oedipus and Jocasta were part of a commission by Paul Sébastien Gallimard, one of the artist’s most important patrons, and a close friend. They were meant to decorate a room in Gallimard’s country house, dedicated to Greek theatre. Once more quoting Christie’s experts Renoir’s panels reveal a combination of influences, from Ancient wall painting, to Louis XVI panelling and the Directoire style of furniture and ornament. A related study depicting mythological figures that Renoir worked on for this commission is now in the collection of the Musée Picasso in Paris and was previously owned by Pablo Picasso himself. For reasons that remain unknown, the room was never completed and the panels remained in Renoir’s studio until the artist’s death. https://www.christies.com/en/auction/ancient-to-modern-art-from-the-mougins-museum-of-classical-art-part-i-29973/

Both paintings were auctioned by Christie’s on the 7th of December 2023 (Ancient to Modern Art from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art).

For a Student Activity inspired by Oedipus Rex and Jocasta by Renoir, please… Check HERE!

Europa on the Bull in the House of Jason in Pompeii

Europe on the Bull, 20-25 AD, Fresco Painting,125×95 cm, from Pompeii, Room ‘f’ in the House of Jason, today, in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy https://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=2092

In 1878 archaeologists discovered a most wonderful fresco of the Myth of Europa on the Bull in the House of Jason in Pompeii! Let’s explore the ‘where’, ‘which’, ‘how’, and ‘what’ of this amazing fresco by posing some questions!

What is the Myth of Europa and Zeus? In the myth of the Abduction of Europa, Zeus, the king of the gods, is captivated by the beauty of Europa, a Phoenician princess and daughter of King Agenor. Seized by desire, Zeus transforms into a magnificent bull and approaches Europa with an air of gentleness. Europa, charmed by the bull’s allure, climbs onto its back, only for Zeus to swiftly take off, and carry her across the sea to the island of Crete. Upon reaching Crete, Zeus discloses his identity, and Europa becomes his queen. This myth of love and adventure, steeped in symbolism and divine intrigue, has left a lasting legacy, not only in the naming of the continent of Europe but also in its enduring influence on art, literature, and the understanding of ancient cultural values.

How does Ovis describe the Myth of the Abduction described in his Metamorphoses? So the father and ruler of the gods, who is armed with the three-forked lightning in his right hand, whose nod shakes the world, setting aside his royal sceptre, took on the shape of a bull, lowed among the other cattle, and, beautiful to look at, wandered in the tender grass.  /   In colour he was white as the snow that rough feet have not trampled, and the rain-filled south wind has not melted. The muscles rounded out his neck, the dewlaps hung down in front, the horns were twisted, but one might argue they were made by hand, purer and brighter than pearl. His forehead was not fearful, his eyes were not formidable, and his expression was peaceful. Agenor’s daughter marvelled at how beautiful he was and how unthreatening. But though he seemed so gentle she was afraid at first to touch him. Soon she drew close and held flowers out to his glistening mouth. The lover was joyful and while he waited for his hoped-for pleasure he kissed her hands. He could scarcely separate then from now. At one moment he frolics and runs riot in the grass, at another he lies down, white as snow on the yellow sands. When her fear has gradually lessened he offers his chest now for virgin hands to pat and now his horns to twine with fresh wreaths of flowers. The royal virgin even dares to sit on the bull’s back, not realising whom she presses on, while the god, first from dry land and then from the shoreline, gradually slips his deceitful hooves into the waves. Then he goes further out and carries his prize over the mid-surface of the sea. She is terrified and looks back at the abandoned shore she has been stolen from and her right hand grips a horn, the other his back, her clothes fluttering, winding, behind her in the breeze. This is how Ovid describes in Bk II:833-875 Zeus’s abduction of Europa. https://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/trans/Metamorph2.htm#476707521

House of Jason in Pompeii, Ground Plan, Photo of the entrance hall ‘a’ of Jason’s House looking towards the Atrium ‘b’, central living room and Photo of the internal garden/Atrium ‘b’, looking west towards room ‘f’, where three amazing fresco panels, including the Abduction of Europa, were discovered https://ermakvagus.com/Europe/Italy/Pompeii/jason.html and https://www.pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/R9/9%2005%2018%20p1.htm    and https://www.pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/R9/9%2005%2018%20p9.htm

Where did archaeologists discover the Roman fresco of Europa’s Abduction? The fresco was discovered in the House of Jason, in 1878, in Pompeii, in Region IX, Insula 5, Entrance 18. Today, the building is in a fairly sad dilapidated condition due to weather erosion. It is a relatively small residence compared to other Pompeiian Houses, but rich in exceptional frescoes which, taken to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, are currently exhibited.

Which famous fresco panels, exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, were discovered in the House of Jason? In Room ‘d’, one of the House’s cubicula (bedrooms), archaeologists discovered three large mythological scenes (they have long been removed to the National Museum in Naples) depicting Paris waiting for Aphrodite, Medea, and Phaedra. Two more frescoes, Phoenix and Polyxena, and Jason and Pelias were discovered in the triclinium marked as ‘e’. Finally, Room ‘f’ provides us with three more fresco panels presenting the Abduction of Europa, Pan and the Nymphs, and Hercules, Deianira, and Nessus. https://ermakvagus.com/Europe/Italy/Pompeii/jason.html

What do we know about the discovery of the Pompeiian fresco of the Abduction of Europa? The House of Jason was originally discovered in 1878 in Pompeii, Italy. On the western side of the House, in a small Room, marked ‘f’ in the Plan, archaeologists discovered three frescoes, exhibited today in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, the Abduction of Europa being one of them.

Europe on the Bull (detail), 20-25 AD, Fresco Painting,125×95 cm, from Pompeii, Room ‘f’ in the House of Jason, today, in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy https://www.sciencesource.com/1719661-europa-fresco-pompeii.html

How can the Abduction fresco be described? The Abduction fresco captures the poignant opening of the famous Myth of Europa, where the Phoenician king Agenor’s young daughter finds herself captivated by the bull’s gentle demeanor and striking beauty. Overwhelmed by the creature’s tranquil presence, her initial fear gradually dissipates, encouraging her to daringly mount its back. Positioned on the right side of the fresco are three of Europa’s companions, with one leaning forward to tenderly caress the bull’s face. The entire composition unfolds against a backdrop of breathtaking ‘Hellenistic’ scenery, characterized by intricate rock formations, architectural motifs such as the central column, and lush greenery.

For a PowerPoint of all frescoes discovered in the House of Jason and exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, please… Check HERE!

Sleeping Eros

Bronze statue of Eros sleeping, 3rd–2nd century BC, Bronze, 41.9 × 35.6 × 85.2 cm, the MET, NY, USA https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254502

Attributed possibly to the archaic Greek poet Sappho, the following fragment of Greek lyric poetry is preserved by the Alexandrian Grammarian Hephaestion. It reminds me of Sleeping Eros, the beloved Hellenistic bronze statue displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The verses paint a vivid scene… The moon and the Pleiades have set, / it is midnight, / time is passing, / but I sleep alone. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_poem

In Greek mythology, Eros, portrayed as the son of Aphrodite and Ares, is the god of love, desire, and attraction. Various myths and stories are associated with Eros, in which he played a prominent role in matters of love and relationships. Well-known stories involving Eros include the myths of Rhodopis and Euthynicus, Apollo and Daphne, and his own love story, the myth of Psyche—a mortal princess who became the object of his affection. All these stories explore themes of love, trust, and the trials involved in achieving fulfillment with Eros projected as a significant figure in Greek mythology.

Eros is often depicted in various poses and contexts in ancient art, usually as a mischievous and playful winged youth armed with a bow and arrows. The arrows are said to have the power to incite love or desire in those they pierce. The Sleeping Eros statue in the MET depicts, on the other hand, a young, winged infant Cupid in a relaxed, reclining position, emphasizing the peaceful and gentle aspects of the god of love.

Bronze statue of Eros sleeping, 3rd–2nd century BC, Bronze, 41.9 × 35.6 × 85.2 cm, the MET, NY, USA https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254502

In the realm of Hellenistic sculpture, the motif of the Sleeping Eros emerged as a captivating and symbolic representation, offering a glimpse into the nuanced artistic expressions of love and vulnerability during this period. The Hellenistic era, spanning from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE to the establishment of the Roman Empire in 31 BCE, witnessed a remarkable evolution in art, marked by a departure from the rigid idealism of Classical Greece. Hellenistic period statues were known for their attention to detail, realistic anatomy, dynamic poses, naturalism in the composition, and the expression of strong emotionalism along with the introduction of the ‘genre’ and a shift in artistic sensibilities.

In the realm of Hellenistic art, ‘genre’ refers to the inclusion of everyday life scenes and common people as subjects in sculptures, paintings, and other artistic expressions. This departure from the rigid canons of Classical Greek art allowed artists to explore a wider range of emotions, experiences, and individual characteristics. The Sleeping Eros serves as a poignant manifestation of these transformations, capturing the subtleties of emotion and narrative in sculpture.

Bronze statue of Eros sleeping, 3rd–2nd century BC, Bronze, 41.9 × 35.6 × 85.2 cm, the MET, NY, USA https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254502

Eros is portrayed in a state of repose, inviting viewers into an intimate exploration of the deity’s more tender and human aspects. As we delve into the intricacies of the Sleeping Eros sculpture in the MET, we untangle not only the technical abilities of the Hellenistic artist who created it, but also the deeper cultural and philosophical underpinnings that inform this artistic motif. Through a lens of mythology, symbolism, and craftsmanship, the Sleeping Eros sculpture offer a captivating window into the Hellenistic worldview, where the divine and the mortal meet in a harmonious dance of form and emotion.

According to the MET experts, during the Hellenistic period… Young children enjoyed great favor, whether in mythological form, as baby Herakles or Eros, or in genre scenes, playing with each other or with pets. The MET Eros, the god of love, has been brought down to earth and disarmed, a conception considerably different from that of the powerful, often cruel, and capricious being so often addressed in Archaic poetry. One of the few bronze statues to have survived from antiquity, this figure of a plump baby in a relaxed pose conveys a sense of the immediacy and naturalistic detail that the medium of bronze made possible. He is clearly based on firsthand observation! https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/254502

For a Student Activity inspired by the MET Sleeping Eros, please… Check HERE!

Another aspect of Eros’s character and artistic representation is offered in Eros and the Bee, a February 2023 BLOG POST by Teacher Curator… https://www.teachercurator.com/art/eros-and-the-bee/

Achelous and Hercules

Thomas Hart Benton, American Artist, 1889-1975
Achelous and Hercules (and detail), 1947, Tempera and Oil on Canvas mounted on plywood, 159.6 x 671.0 cm, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC, USA https://narrativepainting.net/thomas-hart-benton-achelous-and-hercules-1947/

The myth of the fight between Achelous and Hercules is a captivating tale from Greek mythology. In this legend, Achelous, an ancient Greek river god, transforms into various shapes during his battle with Hercules in an attempt to defeat the hero and win the hand of Deianira, the beautiful Calydonian princess. Despite his shapeshifting abilities, Achelous is ultimately outmatched by Hercules, who manages to break off one of the river god’s horns. This horn becomes the Cornucopia, or the “Horn of Plenty,” symbolizing abundance and nourishment. The myth highlights Hercules’ strength and resourcefulness, as well as the enduring theme of divine contests and transformations in Greek mythology.

Ovid’s narrative in Book 9 of the Metamorphoses provides a detailed account of this myth, including the transformations of Achelous and his fateful battle with Hercules. Who wants to recall the battles he has lost? The great river God tells Theseus, the Athenian hero… But, I will tell it as it happened: since the shame of being beaten is no less than the honour of having fought. It is a great consolation to me that the victor was so famous… Ovid, a prominent Roman poet who lived during the 1st century BC, is known for his retelling of various Greek and Roman myths. He became famous and influential in preserving and popularizing these ancient stories. https://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/trans/Metamorph9.htm#483366540

Thomas Hart Benton, American Artist, 1889-1975
Achelous and Hercules (and details), 1947, Tempera and Oil on Canvas mounted on plywood, 159.6 x 671.0 cm, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC, USA https://narrativepainting.net/thomas-hart-benton-achelous-and-hercules-1947/

In 1947 American artist Thomas Hart Benton was hired by Lester Siegel Sr., proprietor of Kansas City’s Harzfeld department store, to decorate the wall above the store’s elevator area. Benton settled on a retelling of the Achelous and Hercules myth from ancient Greece, setting it in present-day Missouri. The artist viewed this legend as a parable of his beloved Midwest. The Army Corps of Engineers had begun, at the time, efforts to control the Missouri River, and Benton imagined, and depicted, a future where the waterway was tamed, and the earth swelled with robust harvests. https://ovid.lib.virginia.edu/trans/Metamorph9.htm#483366540 and https://narrativepainting.net/thomas-hart-benton-achelous-and-hercules-1947/

Photo Portrait of Thomas Hart Benton and Photo of his Studio from ‘The OFFICIAL Facebook page for the Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site in Kansas’ https://www.facebook.com/ThomasHartBentonHomeandStudioSHS

The artwork features a dynamic and muscular Hercules wrestling Achelous, who is depicted as a ferocious bull. Benton’s composition is characterized by bold, exaggerated forms and a strong sense of movement, which is a hallmark of his unique approach to storytelling through art. This painting is a prime example of the artist’s ability to fuse classical themes with the American experience, creating a powerful and visually compelling narrative.

Thomas Hart Benton, American Artist, 1889-1975
Achelous and Hercules (detail), 1947, Tempera and Oil on Canvas mounted on plywood, 159.6 x 671.0 cm, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC, USA https://narrativepainting.net/thomas-hart-benton-achelous-and-hercules-1947/

In Achelous and Hercules, Benton not only showcases his technical prowess but also his deep appreciation for the human struggle and the mythological underpinnings that resonate with American themes of strength and determination. The painting stands as a testament to Benton’s skill in merging classical and contemporary elements, and it remains a significant piece in the realm of American art history.

Thomas Hart Benton was a prominent American artist known for his contributions to the American Regionalist movement in the early to mid-20th century. Born in Neosho, Missouri, in 1889, Benton’s work is characterized by its celebration of everyday life in rural America. He was a master of capturing the essence of the American heartland through his vivid and dynamic paintings, often depicting scenes of farmers, laborers, and small-town life. Benton’s art not only showcased his exceptional technical skill but also conveyed a deep sense of patriotism and a connection to the working-class people he portrayed. His distinctive style combined elements of European modernism with a uniquely American perspective. Benton’s legacy lives on as his art continues to be celebrated for its evocative storytelling and its role in shaping the American art landscape.

For a PowerPoint on Thomas Hart Benton’s oeuvre, please… Check HERE!

The Choice of Heracles by Annibale Carracci

Annibale Carracci, 1560-1609
The Choice of Heracles, 1596, Oil on Canvas, 273 x 167 cm, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
https://el.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91%CF%81%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BF:Annibale_Carracci_-_The_Choice_of_Heracles_-_WGA4416.jpg

The Choice of Heracles by Annibale Carracci is probably loosely inspired by Philostratus’ Life of Apollonius of Tyana (6.10)… You have seen in picture-books the representation of Heracles by Prodicus; in it Heracles is represented as a youth, who has not yet chosen the life he will lead; and vice and virtue stand in each side of him plucking his garments and trying to draw him to themselves. Vice is adorned with gold and necklaces and with purple raiment, and her cheeks are painted and her hair delicately plaited and her eyes underlined with henna; and she also wears golden slippers, for she is pictured strutting about in these; but virtue in the picture resembles a woman worn out with toil, with a pinched look; and she has chosen for her adornment rough squalor, and she goes without shoes and in the plainest of raiment, and she would have appeared naked if she had not too much regard for her feminine decency. Interesting and revealing to say the least! The ancient Greek myth was invented by the sophist Prodico and perhaps suggested to Annibale Carracci by Fulvio Orsini, the librarian of the Farnese family. Interesting and revealing to say the least! https://www.livius.org/sources/content/philostratus-life-of-apollonius/philostratus-life-of-apollonius-6.6-10/

A young, thoughtful Heracles dominates the center of an extremely busy composition. He is depicted in heroic nudity, resting on his club contemplating… whether he will approach life by the path of virtue or the path of vice… And there, writes Xenophon,  appeared two women of great stature making towards him. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Xen.%20Mem.%202.1&lang=original and https://cal.byu.edu/macfarlane/OGCMA/HeraclesChoice1.0019_Carracci.htm

A young, thoughtful Heracles dominates the center of an extremely busy composition. He is depicted in heroic nudity, resting on his club contemplating… whether he will approach life by the path of virtue or the path of vice… And there, writes Xenophon,  appeared two women of great stature making towards him. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Xen.%20Mem.%202.1&lang=original and https://cal.byu.edu/macfarlane/OGCMA/HeraclesChoice1.0019_Carracci.htm

Annibale Carracci, 1560-1609
The Choice of Heracles, 1596, Oil on Canvas, 273 x 167 cm, Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy
https://artpaintingartist.org/the-choice-of-heracles-by-annibale-carracci/

On Heracles’s left side, Carracci presents a striking woman, the personification of Pleasure, standing in front of a lush landscape, green, luxuriant, and blossoming. She gestures to play cards, musical instruments, and theatrical masks. She entices him with her presence, the symbols of carnal pleasures, and her words… Heracles, I see that you are in doubt about which path to take toward life. Make me your friend; follow me, and I will lead you along the pleasantest and easiest road. You shall taste all the sweets of life; and hardship you shall never know. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Xen.%20Mem.%202.1&lang=original

On Heracles’s right side, Carracci painted the personification of Virtue, who according to Xenophon, addressed young Heracles in an exemplary way… I, too, am come to you, Heracles: I know your parents and I have taken note of your character during the time of your education. Therefore I hope that, if you take the road that leads to me, you will turn out a right good doer of high and noble deeds, and I shall be yet more highly honoured and more illustrious for the blessings I bestow. But I will not deceive you by a pleasant prelude: I will rather tell you truly the things that are, as the gods have ordained them. [28] For of all things good and fair, the gods give nothing to man without toil and effort. If you want the favour of the gods, you must worship the gods: if you desire the love of friends, you must do good to your friends: if you covet honour from a city, you must aid that city: if you are fain to win the admiration of all Hellas for virtue, you must strive to do good to Hellas: if you want land to yield you fruits in abundance, you must cultivate that land: if you are resolved to get wealth from flocks, you must care for those flocks: if you essay to grow great through war and want power to liberate your friends and subdue your foes, you must learn the arts of war from those who know them and must practice their right use: and if you want your body to be strong, you must accustom your body to be the servant of your mind, and train it with toil and sweat.’ [29]

Carracci’s personification of Virtue is presented as a young, unpretentious woman, dressed in blue and red. She stands in front of an arid landscape, and points at the winding road up a mountain plateau, where the winged Pegasus, emblem of the Farnese family, awaits Heracles to guide him to Mount Olympus. A life of Virtue, however, does not come without fame and distinction. In the lower-left corner, Carracci painted a poet crowned in laurels looking up to Virtue and Heracles, ready to immortalize the Hero’s accomplishments and assure him great renown.

Annibale Carracci, 1560-1609
Camerino Farnese (the ceiling), 1596, 4.8×9.4m, Private Room of Cardinal Oduardo Farnese. Palazzo Farnese, Rome, Italy
https://it.ambafrance.org/Camerino-d-Ercole

The Choice of Heracles by Annibale Carracci once graced the center of the ceiling in a small room known as the Camerino di Ercole in the Farnese Palace in Rome. The room’s iconography was determined by the palace’s librarian, Fulvio Orsini, who knew the fifth-century Ancient Greek parable involving HerculesCardinal Odoardo Farnese selected Annibale to execute the Camerino’s decor, which the artist completed between 1595–97. In 1662  the Carracci’s canvas was replaced by a copy, still in place, underwent various movements, and then became part of the “Cabinet of obscene paintings” of the Royal Bourbon Museum. Today, it is exhibited in Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples, Italy. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hercules-at-the-crossroads-annibale-carracci/EwGkF5dbmWVeHw and https://capodimonte.cultura.gov.it/oggi-e-il-compleanno-di-annibale-carracci/

For a Student Activity inspired by Annibale Carracci’s The Choice of Heracles, please… Check HERE!

Persephone as Isis and Hades as Sarapis

Statue Group of Persephone as Isis and Hades as Sarapis, 180-190 AD, Marble, from Gortyn, the island of Grete, Greece

Persephone, Daughter of Zeus, blessed / Only begotten, gracious Goddess, receive this good offering, / Much honoured, you, overpowered by Hades, / you are beloved and lifegiving, / You hold the doors of Hades under the depths of the earth; / Transactor of Justice, your beloved hair the sacred olive branch of the enemy / Mother of the Eumenides, Queen of the Underworld, / You, maiden from Zeus through secret begetting… / … Listen, blessed Goddess and send up fruits from the earth / In peace, flourishing in health from your soothing hand; / And, in life abundance, leading to richness of old age / Then to your realm O Sovereign, and to powerful Hades… and I am reminded of The Statue Group of Persephone as Isis and Hades as Sarapis in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum in Crete… some questions and answers! https://godofthemonth.livejournal.com/2759.html

Where were the statues of Persephone as Isis and Hades as Sarapis found? The statues were discovered on the Island of Crete, in the Temple of the Egyptian Gods in the ancient city of Gortyn.

Few words about the Temple of the Egyptian Gods in Gortyn… It is a significant monument from the ancient world that provides insight into the religious and cultural life of the city. The temple was built during the Roman period and was dedicated to the worship of Egyptian gods, including Isis, Serapis, and Anubis. The temple was likely constructed as a result of the influence of Egyptian culture in Gortyn, as well as the growing popularity of the Egyptian gods in the Roman world. It is a symbol of the cultural diversity of the city and its cosmopolitan nature. The Temple was first excavated by G. Oliverio, in 1914.

Few words about the ancient city of Gortyn… an ancient city located in Crete, Greece, and the capital of the Roman province of Crete and Cyrenaica. It was one of the most important cities in ancient Crete and was a center of politics, culture, and commerce. In its heyday, Gortyn was a thriving city with a diverse population. The city was known for its impressive architecture, including temples, like that of the Egyptian Gods, public buildings like the Roman Odeon, and impressive fortifications. The city was home to the Gortyn Code, a set of laws and regulations that governed the lives of the people of Crete and regulated everything from trade and commerce to marriage and family life.

Few words about the statues of Persephone as Isis and Hades as Sarapis… The statues from the Temple of the Egyptian Gods at Gortyn combine iconographic elements and symbols of Hellenic and Egyptian deities alike. The figure of Persephone as Isis is depicted frontally holding a sistrum and wearing a mantle crowned with a disk, the symbol of the sun, between two horns. Hades as Sarapis stands frontally as well. He is crowned with the modius, or grain measure, and holds the scepter of his divine authority in his left hand. On his right is Cerverus, facing the viewer, ferocious-looking and fierce. https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/en/exhibit/isis-persephone-and-sarapis-hades/

Who were the Greek Gods Persephone and Hades? Persephone and Hades are divine figures from ancient Greek mythology. Persephone was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and harvest. Hades was the god of the underworld and the dead.

The myth of Persephone and Hades begins with the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades. According to the story, Hades was so enamored with Persephone that he abducted her and took her to the underworld to be his bride. This caused great distress for Demeter, who searched the earth for her daughter and caused the crops to wither and die. To resolve the situation, Zeus intervened and arranged for Persephone to spend half of the year with her mother and half of the year with her husband in the underworld. During the time that Persephone was with Demeter, the crops would grow and the earth would be fertile, but during the time she was with Hades, the earth would become barren.

This is why the ancient Greeks associated the myth with the changing of the seasons and the cycle of death and rebirth. In addition to being a story about the changing of the seasons, the myth of Persephone and Hades also symbolizes the journey of the soul and the transition from life to death. Hades represents the dark, mysterious, and unknown aspects of the afterlife, while Persephone represents the soul that must journey through this realm. The myth of Persephone and Hades is undoubtedly an important and enduring tale in Greek mythology that continues to captivate audiences to this day.

Why and How did the Greek Gods, Persephone, and Hades, connect with the Egyptian Gods Isis and Sarapis? The cult of the Egyptian Gods is attested at many sites of the ancient Greek world and became quite popular during the Hellenistic period. The amalgamation of the attributes of the Egyptian deities Isis and Sarapis with those of the Greek Persephone and Hades is a syncretic phenomenon observed during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/en/exhibit/isis-persephone-and-sarapis-hades/

One of the key similarities between Persephone and Isis is their association with the afterlife and the underworld. Persephone was abducted by Hades and became the queen of the underworld, while Isis was often depicted as the “Lady of the Tomb” and was associated with the afterlife and the dead. Both figures were also associated with the idea of rebirth and renewal and were revered as powerful, nurturing goddesses who could bring life and fertility to the earth. In both myths, the goddess was seen as a powerful figure who could help guide the souls of the dead through the afterlife and ensure that they reached their final resting place.

The Egyptian God Sarapis is thought to be a creation of Ptolemaic Egypt, an amalgama of Osiris, husband of Isis, Apis, and Hades. Sarapis was widely worshipped in the Hellenistic world and was particularly popular in the city of Alexandria in Egypt. He was depicted as a powerful and benevolent ruler of the underworld and was seen as a savior figure who could grant salvation to those who worshipped him. Despite their different origins, both Hades and Sarapis were seen as gods of the underworld who held sway over the fate of the dead. In this sense, they both represented the powers of death and the afterlife in the ancient world. https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/en/exhibit/isis-persephone-and-sarapis-hades/

For a Student Activity, please… Check HERE!

Photo Credit: https://www.heraklionmuseum.gr/en/exhibit/isis-persephone-and-sarapis-hades/

Flora

Villa Arianna Fresco of Flora, (Room W. 26),  1st century AD, fresco, 38×32 cm, from Villa Arianna in Stabiae, National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Primavera_di_Stabiae.jpg

Love came to Flora asking for a flower / That would of flowers be undisputed queen, / The lily and the rose, long, long had been / Rivals for that high honor. Bards of power / Had sung their claims. “The rose can never tower / Like the pale lily with her Juno mien” — “But is the lily lovelier?” Thus between / Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche’s bower. / “Give me a flower delicious as the rose / And stately as the lily in her pride” — But of what color?” — “Rose-red,” Love first chose, / Then prayed — “No, lily-white — or, both provide;”  / And Flora gave the lotus, “rose-red” dyed, / And “lily-white” — the queenliest flower that blows… writes the Indian poet Toru Dutt and I think of Flora my favorite fresco in Villa Arianna in Stabiae. https://allpoetry.com/Toru-Dutt

Where is Stabiae? Stabiae was an ancient Roman city, or rather a string of luxury villas stretching along the coast, located on the western side of Italy, in the modern-day region of Campania. It was well known for its luxurious villas and rich maritime trade. The city was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, along with the nearby city of Pompeii. The well-preserved remains of Stabiae, including frescoes and mosaics, offer a unique glimpse into the daily life and culture of ancient Rome. During the Archaic period (8th century BC) Stabiae already played an important strategic and commercial role. The city reached its highest population density between its destruction by Sulla (89 B.C.) and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius (79 A.D.). During this period, on the northernmost edge of the Varano hill, many Villas were built taking advantage of the panoramic views. They were mainly residential villas, with beautifully decorated large apartments, thermal baths, porticoes, and nymphaea. At present, only some of these villas, not entirely excavated yet, can be visited…

Information about Villa Arianna… On the western hills of Varano, and overlooking the Bay of Naples, Villa Arianna, is impressive, to say the least. It is estimated that it covered an area of over 11,000 sq.m., whereas its excavated parts cover only 2,500 sq.m. The villa has an unconventional layout, due in part to its continuous development but also to the sloping nature of the site. As much of the building is still buried, the original floor plan is quite difficult to interpret. Certainly, the main range of rooms was at the front of the highest of a series of terraces; some of these rooms featured views both of the sea on one side and of the mountains on the other. There was also a long tunnel (B) leading from the stables and farm court under the residential quarters to the shore. https://sites.google.com/site/ad79eruption/stabiae/villa-arianna

Excavations at Villa Arianna, When, How, and by Whom… Excavations in Villa Arianna started in 1757 and were conducted by the Swiss engineer Karl Weber, until 1762. At the time, the archaeological site of the Villa was seen more like a treasure hunt exploration site. The Weber team dug underground tunnels, explored the excavated areas, and whatever was discovered and considered of value, like furnishings and frescoes, were detached and taken to the Bourbon Museum at the Royal Palace of Portici. A lot, deemed unworthy or ruined, were left behind and much was ruined by the methods employed by the “archaeologists” of the time. Today, parts of the Villa nearest the sea have collapsed down the cliff and perished forever, extended areas of the site are still buried awaiting excavations, but thanks to a Bourbon-period map showing where tunnels were dug and thereafter re-buried, archaeologists resumed excavations in 1950, and proceed with proper scientific research.

Discuss the Fresco of Flora… Among the many treasures discovered in Villa Arianna is the fresco of Flora, exhibited today in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. It is a 38×32 cm fresco, created for the triclinium area of the Villa (Room W. 26 in the Plan). The fresco depicts the goddess Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, surrounded by a variety of plants and flowers.

Villa Arianna Fresco of Flora (detail), (Room W. 26),  1st century AD, fresco, 38×32 cm, from Villa Arianna in Stabiae, National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy https://mariasannino.com/2021/03/08/la-fanciulla-che-coglie-fiori/

In vibrant colors, intricate details, and naturalistic depictions of plants and flowers, the lovely Flora, a young girl shown with her back to us, delicately gathering spring flowers, is a fine example of the 3rd Pompeian style in painting. Barefoot with a light step, her veil and the hem of her dress floating in the air, Flora turns suddenly to the side to pick a spring from a thin shrub with white flowers. Shown in a relaxed and carefree manner, the goddess is thought to reflect the changing cultural attitudes of the time, the increasing wealth and luxury of the Roman Empire, and may suggest a greater appreciation for the beauty and abundance of nature in ancient Campania!

For a Student Activity, please… Check HERE!

Diana and her Companions by Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer, 1632-1675
Diana and Her Companions, circa 1653-1656, oil on canvas, 98.5×105 cm, Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vermeer_-_Diana_and_Her_Companions.jpg

I read Homeric Hymn 27 dedicated to Goddess Artemis… I sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold, who cheers on the hounds, the pure maiden, shooter of stags, who delights in archery, own sister to Apollo with the golden sword. Over the shadowy hills and windy peaks she draws her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase, and sends out grievous shafts. The tops of the high mountains tremble and the tangled wood echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts: earthquakes and the sea also where fishes shoal. But the goddess with a bold heart turns every way destroying the race of wild beasts: and when she is satisfied and has cheered her heart, this huntress who delights in arrows slackens her supple bow and goes to the great house of her dear brother Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, there to order the lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. There she hangs up her curved bow and her arrows, and heads and leads the dances, gracefully arrayed, while all they utter their heavenly voice, singing how neat-ankled Leto bare children [20] supreme among the immortals both in thought and in deed. Hail to you, children of Zeus and rich-haired Leto… and examine the painting Diana and her Companions by Vermeer. Why am I so attracted to this very early painting, probably a surviving first, by the great Dutch painter of the Baroque period? What can I learn? https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138%3Ahymn%3D27

Well, the answers require a trip to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, for a very special Exhibition… https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/vermeer

Never before have the Rijksmuseum visitors had the opportunity to see so many of Johannes Vermeer’s paintings in one Exhibition titled Vermeer (February 10 – June 4, 2023). The Museum managed to bring most of Vermeer’s paintings together from all over the world, and give visitors a chance to get to know the painter and get closer to his oeuvre. Intrigued by Diana and her Companions, an early mythological painting, rare in theme and unique in its rendering, I decided to learn… more! https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/vermeer

According to the experts of Mauritshuis, the famous Art Gallery of The Hague where the painting is housed, goddess Diana is depicted taking a rest with her nymphs. She is the goddess of hunting and of the night, which explains the hound at her feet and the moon on her forehead. The dreamy atmosphere of the scene is typical of Vermeer’s work. The mythological theme of the painting is not so typical. Vermeer however, is best known for his small intimate genre paintings, early on in his career, painted a few larger biblical and mythological scenes, including the painting of Diana and her Companions. https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-did collection/artworks/406-diana-and-her-nymphs/

Explore http://www.essentialvermeer.com/index.html for the most interesting information, and please… Check HERE! for a PowerPoint on Vermeer’s thirty-five surviving Paintings as presented in the Rijksmuseum https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/stories/themes/vermeer/story/all-paintings-by-vermeer

Eros and the Bee

Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey, 1530, Oil on Panel, 38 x 58 cm, Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark
https://open.smk.dk/artwork/image/KMSsp719

A wicked bee once filching Eros stung, / As from hive unto hive the sly god flew. / Looting the flower-sweet honeycombs among; / With finger-tips all pierced he cried and blew     /    
His hand, and stamped upon the ground with pain, / And vaulted in the air; to Aphrodite / Sadly he came commencing to complain, / “Although the bee is small his wound is mighty.”     /     Then said his mother smiling, “Are you not / A creature small just like the bee, I pray? / But ne’ertheless it must not be forgot— / The cruel wounds you deal—how great are they!”
Idyll XIX, Eros, and the Bee, attributed to the ancient Greek Poet Theocritus of the 3rd century BC, is the source of inspiration for a number of paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder depicting an alluring Venus, and Eros, a stolen piece of honeycomb in hand, stung by Bees.  My favourite version, in the SMK Art Museum in Denmark, is expecting us to probe and explore… http://nicholasjv.blogspot.com/2009/11/sweetness-of-honey-and-sting-of-bees.html

Venus with Cupid as a honey thief was probably one of the most successful mythology-inspired compositions created by the German artist of the Renaissance period Lucas Cranach the Elder. Scholars suggest there are twenty versions of the same theme, dated between 1527 and 1545, painted by the artist, his workshop, or followers of his theme and style.

Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Cupid complaining to Venus, c. 1526–27, Oil on Panel, 81.3×54.6 cm, National Gallery, London, UK
Venus and Cupid as Honey Thief, 1527, on beech wood, 83×58.2 cm, Güstrow Castle, Germany
Venus and Cupid, the Honey Thief, 1529, Oil and Tempera on Beech Wood, 38.1×23.5 cm, Cook collection, National Gallery, London UK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid_complaining_to_Venus
Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Venus and Cupid, 1531, Oil on Panel, 51×35 cm, Fondation Bemberg, Toulouse, France
Venus and Cupid, the Honey Thief, circa 1537, Oil on Lime Panel, 50.1×34.4 cm,
Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany
Venus with Cupid as a Honey Thief against a Black Background, 1537, Oil on Lime Panel, 175.4×66.3 cm, Bavarian State Painting Collections, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Munich, Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid_complaining_to_Venus

These paintings depict the same two figures, Venus, the Greek Goddess of beauty and love in glorious nudity, and her son, Eros, god of love as well, holding a stolen piece of honeycomb, stung by bees, and in obvious pain. My favourite painting of Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey is exhibited in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark and combines all the important elements of the composition.

In the upper, left corner of the painting in Denmark, a sign with a reference to Idyll XIX of Theocritus clearly explains the theme. “As Cupid was stealing honey from the hive / A bee stung the thief on the finger / And so do we seek transitory and dangerous pleasures. / That are mixed with sadness and bring us pain.” The wording does not reproduce Theocritus’ exact Greek text, but rather a Latin epigram based on the poem. Painted on a cream-coloured ‘panel’ on the upper left side of the painting, the epigram is related to the work of the great German humanist Philipp Melanchthon. with whom Cranach was closely connected in producing illustrations for Luther’s Bible translation. (A short but comprehensive presentation of Philipp Melanchthon’s contribution to Humanism in Germany… Melanchthon: A German Humanist by A. Pelzer Wagener, The Classical Weekly, Vol. 22, No. 20 (Mar. 25, 1929), pp. 155-160 (6 pages). I particularly like his point of view that Greek and Latin should be studied side by side by all who sought to grasp the substance of the involved rather than its shadow”. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4389299?read-now=1&seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents) https://open.smk.dk/artwork/image/KMSsp719

Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey (Detail), 1530, Oil on Panel, 38 x 58 cm, Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark
https://open.smk.dk/artwork/image/KMSsp719
Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey (Detail), 1530, Oil on Panel, 38 x 58 cm, Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark
https://open.smk.dk/artwork/image/KMSsp719

Examining Cranach’s painting at SMK, depicting Venus, Eros, and the landscape that surrounds them, I see, compared to the rest of Cranach’s paintings of the same theme. elegance and grace, an understated sense of humor, and a subtle mood of morality. The Landscape, in a true Norther European Renaissance tradition, is glorious, lush, and detailed. It invites you to examine the luxurious foliage, the city reflections on the depicted water, and the travelers’ mannerisms. Eros, a blond toddler with blue wings, ever so charming, is displaying his surprise and pain with gusto. Venus looks at the viewer, and laughs, explaining to him that the effect is comparable to the wounds he himself inflicts on all those struck by his arrows. What a painting to consider Love, Euphoria, and Heartache!

For a Student Activity, please… Check HERE!

Lucas Cranach the Elder, c. 1472-1553
Venus with Cupid Stealing Honey (Detail), 1530, Oil on Panel, 38 x 58 cm, Statens Museum for Kunst, Denmark
https://open.smk.dk/artwork/image/KMSsp719

Astragaloi Players

Alexander of Athens, 1st cent BC-1st cent AD
Astragaloi players from Herculaneum, 1st cent BC-1st cent AD, Marble and Pigment, 47.6×50.5 cm, National Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy https://mann-napoli.it/affreschi/#gallery-8

Niobe ((P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses)… So many things / increased her pride: She loved to boast / her husband’s skill, their noble family, / the rising grandeur of their kingdom. Such / felicities were great delights to her; / but nothing could exceed the haughty way / she boasted of her children: and, in truth, / Niobe might have been adjudged on earth, / the happiest mother of mankind, if pride / had not destroyed her wit… and Leto’s anger fell hard on her… Childless— she crouched beside her slaughtered sons, / her lifeless daughters, and her husband’s corpse. / The breeze not even moved her fallen hair, / a chill of marble spread upon her flesh, / beneath her pale, set brows, her eyes moved not, / her bitter tongue turned stiff in her hard jaws, / her lovely veins congealed, and her stiff neck / and rigid hands could neither bend nor move.— / her limbs and body, all were changed to stone… The Astragaloi Players, the painted marble Pinax from Herculaneum, takes the viewer to moments of contentment when Leto and Niobe certainly they loved each other like true friend (Sappho Fragment 142)… before Niobe’s Ύβρις (transgression against a god) and Leto’s painful Wrath!  https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028%3Abook%3D6 and https://digitalsappho.org/fragments/fr118-168/

The famous painting of the Astragaloi Players was discovered in the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, in Herculaneum, on Cardo IV, in May 1746. Not one of the largest houses in ancient Herculaneum, yet one of the most famous, and visited, as it boasts three masterpieces.

The Villa’s Garden Court, with a summer triclinium, veneered with marble, on the far end wall, the Nymphaeum, and the famous Neptune and Amphitrite mosaic.

First, the mosaic decorating the Nymphaeum, located in the Inner Garden Court of the house. Adorned with geometric and floral motifs and hunting scenes with dogs and deer composed of glass paste tesserae, shells, and designs of mother of pearl, the Nymphaeum mosaic is brightly colorful and elegant. Second, in the center of the east wall, the mosaic after which the house is named shows Neptune and Amphitrite surrounded by an exquisite frame of decorative motifs. Third, the Marble Pinax of the Astragaloi Players is detached and exhibited today in Naples Archaeological Museum.

The depicted scene in the marble Pinax, titled Astragaloi Players, presents the act immediately preceding the massacre of the Niobids. The myth, also told by Ovid (Metamorphoses, VI), narrates that Niobe, wife of Amphion, king of Thebes, and mother of many children, dared to declare herself even superior to the goddess Leto, mother of only two children, Apollo, and Artemis. Leto, angered by Niobe and her outrageous presumption, ordered the killing of the queen’s seven sons by Apollo and the killing of her seven daughters with arrows shot by Artemis. https://mann-napoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10.-Giocatrici-di-astragali.pdf

Astragaloi players from Herculaneum, Drawing of the painting on marble, in Antichità di Ercolano: Tomo Primo: Le Pitture 1, 1757, 1,5
https://herculaneum.uk/Ins%205/Herculaneum%205%2007.htm

The inscriptions in capital Greek characters, placed next to each figure depicted in the Pinax, identify the members of the story by name. In the background, three women are identified as Leto (left), Niobe (middle), and Phoebe (right). In the foreground, kneeling and involved in a game of Astragaloi, the artist of the composition placed two of Niobe’s daughters, Aglaia (left) and Ilaria (right). Another inscription, placed in the upper left corner, introduces us to the artist, a man called Alexander from Athens (ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΑθΗΝΑΙΟΣ ΕΓΡΑΦΕΝ).  

Antonio Coppa of the Naples Archaeological Museum believes that this marble painting is most likely a Neo-Attic remake of an original painting of the late 5th century BC, attributable to the famous Zeuxis. The archaeologist also believes that the presence of names identifying each figure depicted in the composition fits into the archaizing fashion of the Augustan age, allowing to date the work between the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD. https://mann-napoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10.-Giocatrici-di-astragali.pdf

The painting of the Astragaloi Players was immediately defined as “monochrome”, believing it to be an example of those paintings in which the only color for their realization was the cinnabar. However, recent investigations into the picture pigment have highlighted the use of multiple colors: pink and yellow for the clothes, red for the sandals, and black for the hair; moreover, the different gradations of color gave volume to the figures, therefore the current monochrome is only the result of the action of time. https://mann-napoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10.-Giocatrici-di-astragali.pdf

What a magnificent discovery!

For a Student Activity, please… Check HERE!