Deianera by Evelyn de Morgan

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Deianera

Evelyn de Morgan (1850-1919)

Guache on paper

18 x 12 inches

Signed with monogram '

Discussion

EP' at lower left.

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Commentary by Christopher Newall

In Greek mythology Deianira was the daughter of Oenus, king of Calydon, and the sister of Meleager. Heracles, one of the very few who penetrated the Underworld and returned, had heard of Deianira's beauty from the soul of her dead brother. Heracles fought and defeated the River Achelous, who turned himself into a bull for the match, to gain Deianira's hand. Later the couple were travelling from the kingdom of Calydon but found their way blocked by the swollen River Evenus. The centaur Nessus offered to carry Deianira across the river while Heracles waded, and, despite their old emnity, this plan was settled upon. However Nessus took his opportunity to attempt to rape Deianira and Heracles shot the centaur with an arrow poisoned with the Hydra's blood. Nessus, in false remorse as he died, gave Deianira some of his own blood and told her that if ever Heracles's love for her should fail she had only to dip a garment of his in the blood to revive his feelings. Deianira took the blood and kept it. Later Heracles was unfaithful to Deianira. She sent him a tunic smeared with the centaur's blood which, when he put it on, burnt him to death. When Deianira heard that she had unwittingly killed her husband she took her own life.

Evelyn De Morgan's painting shows Deianira in a state of despair; knowing that she has been made the instrument of Nessus's hatred for her husband and has thus caused his death. The expanse of water seen in the landscape represents the River Evenus where the fateful meeting with the centaur Nessus took place.

Another larger version of the subject by Evelyn De Morgan was signed and dated 1878 (Sold at Sotheby's, 17 March, 1971, lot 137; untraced.) This provides an approximate date for the present work. The landscape of Deianira clearly reflects the impression made upon the artist by the Italian countryside. The draperies and the distribution of the figure demonstrates her study of Michelangelo also in the course of her early visits to Italy.

Bibliography

Newall, Christopher. A Celebration of British and European Painting of the 19th and 20th Centuries. London: Peter Nahum, 1997. Pp. 26-27.

Last modified 27 June 2020