Briseis Given Back to Achilles
between 1630 and 1631
Rubens throws us right into the middle of a Greek drama with this scene from the Iliad, where the captive Briseis is returned to a very relieved Achilles. The Baroque style is on full display here—look at the rearing horses on the left and the muscular men in the foreground wrestling with golden bowls. It's a busy, energetic composition, framed by floating cherubs and garlands that make it feel like a grand stage play. This piece was part of a massive commission for a Spanish duke, proving Rubens was the ultimate master of turning ancient myths into blockbuster visual spectacles.
- Technique
- Oil painting
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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