Homeric Epics Revived in French Painting

Written by Talia S.

(2005)



     Many wonderful literary and artistic works have been produced since the beginning of time, but few works have had the widespread influence and timeless admiration as those composed by Homer, one of the greatest poets of all ages. His poetry has been the subject of every piece of art imaginable and one would be hard pressed to find a culture that did not recognize the grandeur of his works.

     French artists were especially enamored by the famous epic poems The Iliad and  The Odyssey. Translations of the Homeric epics into French began in the early sixteenth century and continued into the early twentieth century. Heroes such as Achilles, Odysseus, Hector, and Paris also became the subjects of famous paintings and sculptures created by French artists such as David, Carpeaux, Regnault, Poussin, and Daumier.

     In an attempt to enlighten the American public about the French fascination with Homer’s famous works, the Dahesh Museum of Art in New York is currently featuring an exhibition entitled The Legacy of Homer: Four Centuries of Art from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. The stories behind these astonishing works are magnified by the organization of this exhibit - one that Homer himself would have enthusiastically approved.

     The fine collection of neoclassical painting and sculpture in this exhibition was created by students of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris – the premier art academy of Europe from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. This school provided rigorous artistic training in the Greek classical model and prepared artists for the famed Prix de Rome- a competition which provided the winner with three years of study at the Academie de France a Rome. The most popular subjects of the competition were the history and myths of ancient Greece and Rome, including the works of Homer.

     Perhaps the most well known of all the works currently on display at the Dahesh Museum is Andromache Mourning Hector, a painting depicting a scene from The Iliad in which the wife of Troy’s most respected warrior mourns his death. Painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1783, the painting captures the pure sadness of Andromache as she looks up to the gods, almost ignoring her young son Astyanax who tries to get her attention. Hector lies on his bed in a shocking calm with his chest slightly elevated. A single stab mark glistens on his chest and his body lacks the legendary wounds inflicted by being dragged behind Achilles’ chariot. Inscribed on his bed are the images of his life: on the right, his goodbye to his wife and child before the Trojan War, and on the left, the image of his death: Achilles posed over him with his sword drawn. The excruciating detail of this painting allows the reader to feel a connection with Andromache, the story of Hector’s life, and with Homer as well.

     Homer’s works are also viewed in a comical light, showcased wonderfully in a series of lithographs by Honore Daumier. In Ulysses and Penelope, Daumier lightheartedly portrays a scene from Homer’s Odyssey: Odysseus’ first night home after his ten-year journey back to Ithaca. Odysseus and Penelope lie in bed, his shield hanging above them. Penelope eagerly eyes Odysseus after years of separation while Odysseus lies fast asleep, oblivious to his surroundings. In another humorous portrayal of a Homeric scene, Daumier illustrates the kidnapping of Helen from Greece, the event which launched the Trojan War. Helen, not as nearly as beautiful as she was thought to be, struggles under the weight of Paris, who nonchalantly smokes a cigarette as he is carried back to Troy over Helen’s shoulder. Depictions of these emotionally intense moments show the timeless quality of Homer’s works. By incorporating humor, the artist allows everyone to relate to the epics and to enjoy them.

     The Legacy of Homer: Four Centuries of Art from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris is a wonderful exhibit that spans decades of fine art inspired by the epic poetry of Greece’s most famous bard. From the intricate and serious paintings to the humorous and lighthearted lithographs, this exhibition (presented in the United States for the first time) beautifully highlights the widespread influence of Homer and reinforces his status as one of the greatest poets of all time.