Gioacchino Assereto (1600-1639) Italian, Circe Mulling Wine, around 1630, Oil on canvas, 29¾ x 35 inches The Dayton Art Institute, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Elton F. MacDonald, 1965.117 [DAI Gallery 217]
The subject of this painting is taken from the rich, classical epic, The Odyssey, which recounts the journey of the Greek hero Odysseus and his men back from the Trojan War to their homeland in Ithaca. Near the end of their long sea voyage, Odysseus and his crew chanced to land on the island of Aeaea, ruled by the beautiful witch, Circe. As she had done with many an unfortunate sailor, Circe planned to change Odysseus and his men into swine by giving them a magic potion mixed in wine. Here, the enchantress is shown mulling the wine with a hot poker as she waves her left hand and recites an incantation.
Gioacchino Assereto, a Genoese painter, imbues this scene with a sense of impending drama. Any Baroque viewer familiar with the story of Odysseus would be able to imagine the misfortune about to befall the crew and Circe's own fate. The tale, by the way, ends happily: Circe falls hopelessly in love with the Greek hero who has been made impervious to her potion by an herb given him by the god Hermes.
Reason to consider: This 17th century oil painting depicts a scene from the Odyssey, one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer, written around 800 B.C.E. The poem chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan war, including resisting the deadly seductions of witches! It is believed to be one of the oldest surviving works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. Libraries play a central role in making books accessible to all and you can check this book out at your library or online as an e-book or audiobook.