The Building of the Trojan Horse

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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The Building of the Trojan Horse illustrates an episode from one of the most famous stories in Greek mythology – that of the Trojan War and fall of Troy. Soldiers in armour prepare for battle while workmen build the giant wooden horse in which Greek soldiers will hide, allowing them to secretly enter the city of Troy. Most labour tirelessly with hammers and chisels but one sits on a plank and raises a brush to paint the rump. The horse’s glossy coat, powerful pose and flowing mane give the impression that it is alive and moving. This is probably a sketch for Domenico’s monumental depiction of the same subject, painted in around 1773/4, now in the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut. It has the characteristics of a preparatory design.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

The Building of the Trojan Horse

Date

about 1760

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 38.8 x W 66.7 cm

Accession number

NG3318

Acquisition method

Bought, 1918

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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