Thetis and Hephaestus
1630/32 | Anthonis van Dyck
The Sea Goddess Thetis persuaded Hephaestus to create armour for her son Achilles. As soon as the weapons were ready – the moment of “trying it on” is depicted here – Thetis rushed away and Hephaestus remained behind with the promised reward of love. Van Dyck often shows himself to be a master in showing ambivalent feelings: the half-hesitating, half-greedy gestures of Hephaestus, the posing goddess and the blacksmith’s hasty hand movement all tell of love story gone wrong.
The Sea Goddess Thetis persuaded Hephaestus to create armour for her son Achilles. As soon as the weapons were ready – the moment of “trying it on” is depicted here – Thetis rushed away and Hephaestus remained behind with the promised reward of love. Van Dyck often shows himself to be a master in showing ambivalent feelings: the half-hesitating, half-greedy gestures of Hephaestus, the posing goddess and the blacksmith’s hasty hand movement all tell of love story gone wrong.
Workshop:
Anthonis van Dyck (1599 Antwerpen - 1641 London) DNB
Time:
1630/32
Object Name
Painting
Culture
Flemish
Material/technology:
Canvas
Dimensions:
Original (sp. Anstückungen: oben 5,5 cm/rechts 15,5 cm verdeckt): Overall: 117 cm × 156 cm
Framed: 148 cm × 177 cm × 13 cm
Copyright
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie
Invs.
Gemäldegalerie, 498
Provenance
Collection Leopold Wilhelm