This painting depicts a moment from the conclusion of Homer’s Iliad when the Trojan King Priam, on bended knee and with tears in his eyes, entreats the warrior Achilles to return the body of his son, Hector. Consumed by rage on the battlefield, Achilles had not only slain Hector but also defiled his body by dragging it behind his chariot. Shown here is Achilles’s initial surprise at finding King Priam in his camp, but Achilles was ultimately so moved by Priam’s speech that his rage abated. He returned the body, arranging a temporary truce so the Trojans could mourn.
This painting is one of a series of four depicting Achilles that Giovanni Battista Cipriani created for an anteroom of Lansdowne House, a luxurious residence in central London designed by the Neoclassical architect Robert Adam. The drawing room from the house is also in the museum’s collection (see 1931-104-1).
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