Donato Creti (Cremona, 1671 - Bologna, 1749)
Achilles Plunged into the Styx, 1714 ca.
oil on canvas; inv. P 28
provenance: Bequest of Marcantonio Collina Sbaraglia to the Senate, 1744
This is the first painting of the cycle of four Stories of
Achilles (no. 2 - 12 - 15 - 18).
According to the mythological tradition of Greek and Latin poetry, the
Greek hero Achilles was the son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, and
of the sea goddess Thetis. In order to make him invulnerable, Achilles
was plunged into the river Styx. His heel, though, the only
part of his body not touched by water, remained vulnerable. Achilles
played a key role in the Trojan War and killed the opposing hero
Hector.
The male figure on the left, observing the scene, is the river god. The
winged putto flying in the background represents, as in the following
two scenes, the Genius (guardian spirit) of Achilles. The group of
young women underscores the central episode, creating a contrapuntal
sequence of faces, gestures, poses and colors. The lighting is
unnatural and restless as it plays over the figures.
The landscape tonalities are equally unreal, ranging from nocturnal
effects to the light of dawn in a dazzling display of colors. Color is
in fact the real subject of this canvas. Starting from a few basic hues
(ultramarine, white, yellow and brown) Creti progressively builds up
tints and intermediate tones, through superimposed layers and glazes.
