When the centaur Nessus tried to abduct Hercules’ wife, he was impaled by an arrow. He set up the later death of the hero, who was destroyed by poison in his own arrow.
Veronese
Pitched battles at the weddings of Hippodame and Pirithous, and Andromeda and Perseus. The Trojan War resulting from the wedding of Thetis and Peleus, and turning water into wine with Veronese.
One of Ovid’s best stories, of a man who inadvertently kills his wife when she suspects him of having an affair with a nymph when he should be hunting.
First Perseus turns Atlas to stone for his failure to offer him hospitality. He then flies on to rescue the beautiful Andromeda, who’s going to be the next meal for a sea-monster.
Two themes now largely forgotten: Christ’s descent into Limbo and Harrowing of Hell, and his supper at Emmaus.
Mercury takes a fancy to Herse, but Minerva makes her sister Aglauros jealous. When she tries to block the god, he turns her to stone.
The Last Supper, Veronese’s series of New Testament feasts leading to his appearance before the Inquisition, and Belshazzar’s Feast.
A simple story of an unsuccessful attempt at abduction and rape becomes a compositional struggle. It also results in the death of Heracles.
How Perseus comes to the aid of Andromeda as she’s left chained to a rock, awaiting her fate as the next meal of Cetus the sea-monster.
Superb paintings of this tragedy from Roman history, by Veronese, Reni, Gentileschi, Rembrandt and Godfrey Kneller.
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