A marble statue of Aeneas carrying his father. It depicts the two bodies as roughly the same size and seems more realistic than most other versions of the same scene, this one like a real person trying to carry another on their back, which is not easy.

Notices where this attachment appears

1. Embed this notice
   Tarnport (tarnport@mastodon.green)'s status on Sunday, 06-Jul-2025 05:43:07 JST Tarnport

   Artus Quellinus the Elder. Aeneas carrying his father away from the burning Troy, 1640-58.

   I like that this 'uglier' version avoids the worst idealizations. Most artists take the symbolic route, making Anchises somehow supernaturally light and wieldy, and Aeneas erect and unstrained. If you've ever picked up your own father, or had your own son try to carry you, or indeed anyone, very far, the pathos and pain of the impossible situation become obvious. Quellinus shows that other side to heroism