The Trojan Horse (Aeneid II)
- Object belonging
- One's own
- Category
- Wood sculpture
- City
- Rome
- Location
- Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia
- Specific location
- Study room, cabinet, shelf 1, section B
- Inventory
- PV 07576
- Material and technique
- Sculpted and carved tilia wood, paint, gilding
- Author
- Venetian School
- Dating
- Early 16th century
- Dimensions
- 28.5 x 32.7 x 3.2 cm.
- Origin
- Tower-Wurts Collection(1933)
- Image copyright
- SSPSAE e per il Polo Museale della città di Roma
Short description
This work, which came from the Wurts collection (inv. W 388), is sculpted in bass-relief with scenes from the ‘History of Troy’, as a handwritten pencil inscription on the reverse reveals. More precisely, several episodes from the Aeneid are illustrated. This relief depicts the episode from book II of the Aeneid where the wooden horse, built by the Achaeans, enters the walls of Troy. It illustrates lines 232-238: ducendum ad sedes simulacrum orandaque diuae / numina conclamant. / diuidimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis. / accingunt omnes operi pedibusque rotarum / subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea uincula collo / intendunt; scandit fatalis machina muros feta armis. In the background the opening made in the walls of Troy, to allow the horse inside can be made out, whilst the Trojans, using wheels and straps, drag it inside. On the right is a bearded warrior, equipped with a shield, talking with another, clean-shaven, warrior, who points to the horse: the latter could be one of the rare depictions of Sinon, who is convincing Priam to let the wooden sculpture inside the walls (cfr. G.M. Fachechi, "Iconografie virgiliane nei mosaici medievali: il caso di Sinone", in Atti del IX Colloquio dell'Associazione Italiana per lo Studio e la Conservazione del Mosaico, Aosta, 20-22 February 2003, ed. C. Angelelli, Ravenna 2004, pp. 519-528). The work forms part of a group of four reliefs that are each inside a wooden frame (in this case measuring 34.8 x 39 .3cm): PV 7573, 7574, 7575. It is difficult to pinpoint the original setting and function of these works, which stylistically seem to belong to early 16th century Venice. Technical-scientific analysis carried out in 2009 by IVALSA-CNR in Florence identified the wood used as tilia (Tilia sp.).
Bibliography
Unpublished