The Marriage of Peleus and Thetis, 1610 Joachim Wtewael
Dutch, 1566-1638
Oil on panel
- At this exuberant outdoor celebration, a trumpeting messenger announces the marriage of the Greek gods Peleus and Thetis. Mercury, at center, serves the conversing bride and groom while Apollo, at right, serenades them with his lyre. Winged babies flutter above wedding guests, servants, satyrs, and river gods who eat, drink, and amorously embrace. In the sky above, Eris, the goddess of discord, prepares to toss the golden apple that will incite the Trojan War. Viewers educated in Greek myth would have perceived Eris's presence as a warning against earthly excess and immorality.
Mary B. Jackson Fund
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