The Birth of Erichthonius

Image credit: Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

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The subject is found in Ovid's 'Metamorphoses', II, 553–563. Vulcan, in an effort to ravish Minerva, accidentally spilt his semen on the ground and Mother Earth, thus fertilised, gave birth to Erichthonius. Minerva shut the infant in a basket and entrusted it to the three daughters of Cecrops, king of Attica, but they opened it and discovered that the infant had a serpent's tail for legs. They then threw themselves off the Acropolis. The child later became King of Athens. Mother Earth is represented by the many-breasted Diana of Ephesus. Ovid says the scene was witnessed by a crow.

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Oxford

Title

The Birth of Erichthonius

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 164 x W 114 cm

Accession number

WA1845.44

Acquisition method

Presented by John Skippe, the artist, 1801

Work type

Painting

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Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

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