Hymenaeus
Date1869
MediumOil paint over gold leaf on panel
Dimensions32 1/4 × 21 1/2 in. (81.9 × 54.6 cm)
frame: 36 x 49 1/2 in. (91.4 x 125.7 cm)
Credit LineSamuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial, 1935
Object number1935-2
Label TextHymenaeus, the Greek god of marriage, is depicted officiating a nuptial ceremony. The composition recalls ancient funerary monuments, compositionally echoing the classical subject matter. Stylistically the painting reveals the influence of the Italian Renaissance, and Michelangelo in particular, with the sculptural focus on the body and the fall of the drapery. Burne-Jones’ interest in this period reached a climax in his journey to Italy in 1871.
