Paride ed Elena

Speranza



Cf. La storia di Paride.

The story of Paris, a cassone panel, Metropolitan Museum of Art -- Marco del Buono a Apollonio di Giovanni. The painting originally ornamented the front of a cassone and the two following were set at the ends.

The story shown is a version of the "Paride" legend, current in the romance literature of the day.

Paride, insteadk of taking Elena from the house of Menelao, his host, as in =the usual form of the legend, takes from from the island of Cythera.

The Judgement of Paride is shwon and in the distnace, Menelao is sailing away with Agamennone, leaving Elena behind.

The boat in the foreground is bringing Elena to the island of Cythera, where Elena expects to find Paride attending a feast at the temple of Venere.

Paride is on the shore with his retinue, and at the far right beyod the temple, Paride and Elena are pictures gazing at each other in admiration.

That night, according to the legend, Paride stole Elena and carried her, along with treasures from the temple, back to Troy.

The types, the costumes and the composition of the panel sdeclare ita produce of the alrge cassone shop conducted by Marco del Buono and Apollonio di Giovanni.

This belonged to the colletction of Giovanni P. Morosini, presented by his daughter Giulia in 1932.