Artistic representations Helen of Troy

zeuxis et les filles de crotone (françois-andré vincent, 1789, paris, louvre). scene tells story of painter zeuxis commissioned produce picture of helen temple of hera @ agrigentum, sicily. realize task, zeuxis chose 5 beautiful maidens in region.

from antiquity, depicting helen remarkable challenge. story of zeuxis deals exact question: how artist immortalize ideal beauty? selected best features 5 virgins. ancient world starts paint helen s picture or inscribe form on stone, clay , bronze 7th century bc. dares phrygius describes helen in history of fall of troy: beautiful, ingenuous, , charming. legs best; mouth cutest. there beauty-mark between eyebrows.

helen depicted on athenian vases being threatened menelaus , fleeing him. not case, however, in laconic art: on archaic stele depicting helen s recovery after fall of troy, menelaus armed sword helen faces him boldly, looking directly eyes; , in other works of peloponnesian art, helen shown carrying wreath, while menelaus holds sword aloft vertically. in contrast, on athenian vases of c. 550–470, menelaus threateningly points sword @ her.

the abduction paris popular motif in ancient greek vase-painting; more popular kidnapping theseus. in famous representation athenian vase painter makron, helen follows paris bride following bridegroom, wrist grasped paris hand. etruscans, had sophisticated knowledge of greek mythology, demonstrated particular interest in theme of delivery of helen s egg, depicted in relief mirrors.

in renaissance painting, helen s departure sparta depicted scene of forcible removal (rape) paris. not, however, case secular medieval illustrations. artists of 1460s , 1470s influenced guido delle colonne s historia destructionis troiae, helen s abduction portrayed scene of seduction. in florentine picture chronicle paris , helen shown departing arm in arm, while marriage depicted franco-flemish tapestry.

in christopher marlowe s doctor faustus (1604), faust conjures shade of helen. upon seeing helen, faustus speaks famous line: face launch d thousand ships, / , burnt topless towers of ilium. (act v, scene i.) helen conjured faust in goethe s faust.

in pre-raphaelite art, helen shown shining curly hair , ringlets. other painters of same period depict helen on ramparts of troy, , focus on expression: face expressionless, blank, inscrutable. in gustave moreau s painting, helen become faceless; blank eidolon in middle of troy s ruins.