Odysseus and Circe
unknown
Basic information
- ID
- Ж-2123
- Author
- unknown
- Name
- Odysseus and Circe
- Date of creation
- 17th c.
- Country
- Italy
- Technique
- oil painting
- Material
- canvas oil
- Dimensions (height x width, cm)
- 29 x 140
Additionally
- Type
- painting
- Genre
- mythological painting
- Plot
- Myth of Odysseus and Circe
- Provenance
- Collection of Lviv City Gallery
- Exposition
- Potocki Palace
Information about author
Object description
The painting is based on the Homeric mythological story of Odysseus. Circe is the goddess of the moon and sorceress, daughter of Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse. Odysseus happened to sail to the Aeaea island where Circe lived. When his companions were exploring the island, Circe turned them into pigs. Then the Hero, with the help of a magic potion given to him by Hermes, defeated the goddess's magic, so she offered him to stay on the island and share her love. Odysseus agreed on the condition that she would restore the human form to his men. A year later, at the request of his comrades, Odysseus asked Circe to release them to their homeland and got the goddess's consent. At her advice, the Hero went to Hades to learn from the seer Tiresias about future trials. After getting the desired knowledge, Odysseus returned to the island of Circe. She warned him about the dangers that awaited him near the Sirens' island, and Odysseus departed. A son named Agrius was born to him with Circe. The painting depicts the moment of Odysseus's ship arriving at Circe's island.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery
