Ulysses Threatening Circe
Around 1630-35
In this dramatic Baroque scene, the hero Ulysses lunges forward with a drawn scimitar, threatening the sorceress Circe who cowers on the floor in a shimmering golden dress. According to Homer's Odyssey, Circe had just turned Ulysses' crew into the grunting pigs seen scurrying in the bottom right corner! The chaos is palpable as her maids flee in terror through a doorway, while a loyal dog barks at the intruder and a bright red parrot watches from a pedestal. Jordaens masterfully captures the tension with rich colors and dynamic movement, typical of the Flemish Baroque style, mixing high mythology with very realistic, almost earthy human figures.
- Technique
- Oil painting
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