In a popular story involving the loves of the gods from greco-roman mythology, the centaur nessus escapes through the euenus river with the abducted deianira, the wife of hercules, who comes to her rescue. Clad in a lion's skin, he is about to shoot the arrow which will kill the centaur. The cupid with a torch symbolizes the amorous passions that motivated nessus. The old man with the urn gushing water is the river-god euenus, and the attending women are nymphs, spirits of the water. The oval painting field indicates that the painting was to be set into a larger framework, and, indeed, pozzi was primarily known for his decorative ensembles. Object Type: painting. Date: between circa 1730 and circa 1767 (Baroque). Place of creation: Rome, Italy. Dimensions: Painted surface height: 42.2 cm (16.6 in); width: 64.7 cm (25.4 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Walters Art Museum. Stefano Pozzi - The Abduction of Deianira - Walters 371836
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