After Pompeo Batoni (Italian, 1708-1787) Achilles at the Court of Lycomedes Oil on canvas 51 x 40 inches (129.5 x 101.6 cm) PROVENANCE: Doyle, New York, October 14, 2015, lot 60A (as Neoclassical School, Achilles Drawing the Sword); Private collection, acquired from the above. In the days preceding the Trojan War, the sea nymph Thetis, mother of Achilles, predicted her son`s doom on the battlefield. According to Roman poet Statius, as envoys from the leaders of Greece closed in, Achilles agreed to hide on the island of Skyros, disguised as a woman amongst the daughters of King Lycomedes. The envoy, Odysseus of Ithaca, and the cleverest man in Greece, arrived in Skyros bearing gifts for the king`s daughters. Among the jewels, clothing, and silks were hidden a sword, a shield, and a helmet. The great warrior could not resist the sword, and in drawing it from the scabbard, revealed himself. Persuaded by Odysseus, he agreed to depart for Troy, ultimately finding both the destruction foreseen by his mother, and the eternal glory he so craved. The present work highlights the moment that, in his feminine guise, Achilles draws the fateful sword. Batoni`s original work from 1745 currently resides in the collections of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Property from a Private North Texas Collection HID03101062020品相报告: Lined canvas. Frame abrasion at edges. A small, semicircular area of of lifting in the upper half of the work near the center. Finely patterned craquelure, stabilized beneath the varnish layer. Slight yellowing to the varnish layer. Surface dirt and dust. Not examined out of frame due to size.Framed Dimensions 57.5 X 46.5 X 3 Inches Heritage Auctions strongly encourages in-person inspection of items by the bidder. Statements by Heritage regarding the condition of objects are for guidance only And should Not be relied upon as statements of fact, And do Not constitute a representation, warranty, Or assumption of liability by Heritage. All lots offered are sold "As Is"