Apollo and Neptune advising Laomedon
Domenichino1616-18
The National Gallery, London
London, United Kingdom
Apollo and Neptune disguised themselves as mortals and helped build the city of Troy. When Laomedon refused to pay them the agreed price the gods took revenge by bringing a series of disasters upon the city. The three are here shown consulting a plan and pointing to the city in the background.The subject derives from Ovid, 'Metamorphoses' (10).
This fresco (transferred to canvas) comes from a series painted in the Stanza di Apollo in the garden pavilion of the Villa Aldobrandini, Frascati. The execution seems to be by an assistant, although Domenichino did make four preparatory chalk drawings for the painting (Windsor, Royal Collection).
- Title: Apollo and Neptune advising Laomedon
- Creator: Domenichino and assistants
- Date Created: 1616-18
- Physical Dimensions: 305.8 x 183.4 cm
- Type: Painting
- Medium: Fresco, transferred to canvas and mounted on board
- School: Italian (Bolognese)
- More Info: Explore the National Gallery’s paintings online
- Inventory number: NG6289
- Full Title: Apollo and Neptune advising Laomedon on the Building of Troy
- Artist Dates: 1581 - 1641
- Artist Biography: Domenico Zampieri, called Domenichino, was one of the main followers of Annibale Carracci. He had probably arrived in Rome by 1602, when Annibale was working in the Palazzo Farnese. Domenichino was important as a painter of classical landscape, following Annibale. The Gallery contains a series of frescoes on mythological themes that he painted for the Villa Aldobrandini at Frascati. Domenichino was born in Bologna, and trained there under Ludovico Carracci. In Rome he was also influenced by the works of Raphael, as can be seen in his celebrated frescoes on the life of Saint Cecilia in S. Luigi dei Francesi, probably completed by 1614. He returned to Bologna in 1617, but was active again in Rome in the 1620s, before moving to Naples. Here he frescoed the Cappella del Tesoro of the cathedral in a more markedly Baroque style than his earlier work. He died in Naples in 1641. Both Poussin and Claude were influenced by his work, notably his landscapes.
- Acquisition Credit: Bought, 1958
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