Scenes from the Story of the Argonauts
These two paintings likely once adorned a marriage chest (cassone) or served as decorative paneling (spalliera) in a domestic setting. The ancient Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts unfolds across them in a continuous narrative, the same characters appearing in multiple episodes. At the top left of the first (upper) panel, Jason, rightful king of Thessaly—who wears distinctive gold armor throughout—confronts the usurper Pelias, who agrees to hand over the throne if Jason can retrieve the Golden Fleece. In the second (lower) panel, Jason and his companions work to steal the fleece. For more information about these two paintings, including a complete account of the narrative, visit their collection records at The Met website.
Artwork Details
- Title: Scenes from the Story of the Argonauts
- Artist: Jacopo di Arcangelo (called Jacopo del Sellaio) (Italian, Florence 1441/42–1493 Florence)
- Date: ca. 1465
- Medium: Tempera on wood, gilt ornaments
- Dimensions: Overall 24 1/8 x 60 1/8 in. (61.3 x 152.7 cm); painted surface 19 5/8 x 56 in. (49.8 x 142.2 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1909
- Object Number: 09.136.2
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings
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