Title
The Sacrifice of Polyxena at the Tomb of Achilles, c1735. Creator: Giovanni Battista Pittoni the Younger.
Caption
The Sacrifice of Polyxena at the Tomb of Achilles, c1735. The tragic moment depicted is from the end of the Trojan War. According to legend, the ghost of the Greek hero Achilles demanded that the Trojan princess Polyxena be sacrificed at his tomb. Achilles's son, with the feathered helmet, is leading the sacrifice. According to the Roman poet Ovid, Polyxena "kept her look of dauntless courage until the end." In visualizing this passage, the painter has depicted the young woman with a sorrowful yet dignified expression that conveys her bravery in the face of death.
Credit line
Photo12/Heritage Images/Heritage Art
Reference
HRM23B21_386
Model release
NA
Property release
NA
License type
Rights managed
Available size
51,9Mb (2,2Mb) / 12,2in x 16,5in / 3657 x 4960 (300dpi)