02 Paintings, Olympian deities, Antiope and Dirce, with footnotes # 45

Henryk Siemiradzki, (1843–1902) 

Dirce, c.1897

Oil on canvas

Height: 263 cm (103.5″); Width: 530 cm (17.3 ft)

National Museum in Warsaw 

Dirce was a daughter of the river-gods Achelous or Ismenus, or of Helios.

After Zeus impregnated Antiope, Antiope fled in shame to King Epopeus of Sicyon, but was brought back by Lycus through force, giving birth to the twins Amphion and Zethus on the way. Lycus gave Antiope to Dirce. Dirce hated Antiope and treated her cruelly, until Antiope, in time, escaped.

Antiope flees back to the cave where she gave birth to Amphion and Zethus; they are now living there as young men. They disbelieve her claim to be their mother and refuse her pleas for sanctuary, but when Dirce comes to find Antiope and orders her to be killed, the twins are convinced by the shepherd who raised them that Antiope is their mother. They kill Dirce by tying her to the horns of a bull. More on Dirce

Henryk Siemiradzki, (1843–1902) 

Detail; Christian Dirce, c.1897

Oil on canvas

Height: 263 cm (103.5″); Width: 530 cm (17.3 ft)

National Museum in Warsaw 

The painting shows a re-enactment of a Greek myth – performed at the behest of Emperor Nero, in which Dirce, the queen of Thebes, is put to death by being tied to the horns of a bull and smashed against rocks. According to the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius, Nero decreed that during the games in the amphitheatre, a beautiful young Christian girl was to suffer the same fate. More on this work

Henryk Siemiradzki, (1843–1902) 

Detail; Christian Dirce, c.1897

Oil on canvas

Height: 263 cm (103.5″); Width: 530 cm (17.3 ft)

National Museum in Warsaw 

Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki (24 October 1843 – 23 August 1902) was a Polish painter based in Rome, best remembered for his monumental academic art. He was particularly known for his depictions of scenes from the ancient Greek-Roman world and the New Testament, owned by many national galleries of Europe. More on Henryk Hektor Siemiradzki 

Dirce's punishment - Roman wall painting in House of the Vettii, Pompeii

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