Achilles discovered amongst the Daughters of Lycomedes
Willem van Herp (Antwerp ca.1614 - Antwerp 1677)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1634 - 1677
Materials
Oil on panel (oak)
Measurements
650 x 860 mm
Place of origin
Antwerp
Order this imageCollection
Felbrigg, Norfolk
NT 1401193
Caption
According to classical mythology, in an attempt to prevent Achilles going off to fight and meet his death in the Trojan war, his mother Thetis sent him to finish his education, disguised as a girl, at the court of Lycomedes, King of Scyros. The Greeks, knowing that they could not take Troy without his aid, sent Ulysses to find him. This he did by pretending to be a merchant with jewels to sell; but amongst these were arms, which Achilles's manly nature drove him to try on instead of the trinkets, thus revealing himself. Van Herp was a later imitator of Rubens, working on a smaller scale.
Summary
Oil painting on oak panel, Achilles discovered amongst the Daughters of Lycomedes, by Willem van Herp (Antwerp ca.1614 - Antwerp 1677). Scene in a stepped courtyard with twisted columns to the right background. Two of the daughters of Lycomedes bend over a box of trinkets in the centre while behind to the left stands Ihird? with two older women. At right Achilles tries on the helmet and sword, and Ulysses and Diomedes enter from the right. Shield, bow and arrows on ground, dog at right. Achilles mother Thetis knowing of his tragic destiny sent him to the court of Lycomedes where he was disguised as a girl and placed with his daughters. Knowing that Troy could not be taken without Achilles, Ulysses placed weapons among some jewellery in Lycomedes's house. The women admired the jewellery but Achilles seized the weapons and gave himself away. He sailed to Troy with the Greeks.
Provenance
Part of the Windham Collection. The hall and contents were bequeathed to the National Trust in 1969 by Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer (1906-1969)
Credit line
Felbrigg Hall, The Windham Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
Willem van Herp (Antwerp ca.1614 - Antwerp 1677), artist