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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Biagio di Antonio, "Scenes from the Story of the Argonauts" (cassone panel), Metropolitan Museum, New York

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The work gives a detailed account, in the continuous style, of Giasone's conquest of the Golden Fleece, and related incidents in the Greek legend.

The story begins with Giasone, in the golden armour that distinguishes him in each scene, bidding farewell to Re Pelia.

At the right of this scene is the subsequentdeath of the king at the hand of his daughters, whom the vengeful Medea had craftily persuaded to destroy his father in an effort to restore his youth.

Then, Giasone, with his horse, is about to set out to enlist companions, amongst them Orfeo, who may be seen on the island in the background.

On a flat-topped rock (Mount Pelion), Giasone, with Orfeo and Ercole, consults the centaur Chirone.

Bear by is the Argo, the shop that bore the heroes, and to the right, Ila, sent from the argo to search for fresh water, is about to be carried off by the nymphs.

In the foreground is shown the hunt of the Calydonian boar, in which Giasone took parrt.

In the panel below, Giasone is shown being received by Re Aeto and his two daughters, Medea and Chalciope.

In the middle ground, in a circular enclosure, representing the Grove of Marte, are seen the Golden Fleece hanging high on an oak tree, Orfeo standing near by, and Giasone driving the fire-breathing oxen and killing the dragon and the knights sprung from the dragon's teeth, which he had sown in the ground.

Jason appears before the king, then at the foot of the stairway mounting his horse, and finally galopping across the drawbridge.

In the background at the left are Medea and Giasone with a group of his companions.

Beyond in a cauldron is Esone, the father of Giasone, being magically rejuvenated by Medea, and nar the enchantress is Diana whom she has summoned.

The pronounced influence of Pesellino suggest a date around 1465.

A set of three panels, painted in 1487, and also devoted to the Argonauts, includes "The marriage of Giasone and Medea", by Biagio di Antonio (Musee des arts Decoratifs, Paris), "Jason at the Banquet of Pelias" by Bartolomeo di Giovanni, and "Jason received by Aeetes", by an anonymous painter.

This was a gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, in 1909.

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