Panthea, Cyrus, and Araspas
Laurent de La Hyre
1631–1634
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 141.9 × 102 cm (55 7/8 × 40 1/8 in.); Framed: 171.5 × 131.5 cm (67 1/2 × 51 3/4 in.)
- Genre
- oil on canvas
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
historical figuresoil paintings (visual works)paintingred (color)blue (color)paintcanvasarchitecturefeathersarchitechturepoliticsoil on canvasfrenchnudesSoldierslovewaroil paint (paint)spearspainting (image making)swords17th Centurypainting techniquesmanwomenoil paintingeuropean paintingqueensflagsdecorationpersiaBeauty
About
This is one of two surviving paintings from Laurent de La Hyre’s series illustrating the story of Queen Panthea’s capture by the armies of Cyrus the Great, the ancient king of Persia. Cyrus, shown here in blue, refused even to gaze upon the beautiful queen, choosing instead to concentrate on affairs of state and turning her care over to his friend Araspas, who ultimately fell in love with her to tragic consequences. La Hyre’s take on this tale of the conflict between love and civic duty was probably made as part of a suite of decorations for a reception room or a private cabinet in a Parisian townhouse.
