Mythological painting

Triumph of the Galateia
Italy
18th century
Oil on canvas, relined
65 x 155.5 cm, with frame 76 x 166.5 cm
Counterpart to previous lot

Galateia, the “milk-white”, is a nymph from Greek mythology. The young man in whose arms Galateia rises could be Akis. Galateia loved the shepherd boy, but her husband, Cyclops, killed the young Akis out of jealousy. The myth of Akis and Galateia was often taken up in art; in ancient painting, depictions of the subject are not only documented, but have also been handed down. For example, in a Pompeian wall painting from the house of the priest Amandus, Polyphemus sits on a hill while a dolphin carries Galateia away. The theme has also been interpreted many times in the visual arts of modern times. In this present work, there is an intimate scene of the lovers in love, riding on a dolphin and accompanied by nymphs.