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Dosso Dossi's Circe and Her Lovers in a Landscape, c. 1514. According to classical mythology, Circe was the daughter of the sun god Helius (Hyperion) and Perseis, and was celebrated for her knowledge of magic and herbs. She is most famous for her enchantment of Odysseus, whom she lures to her island where he stays for a year. Notice that Circe holds a plaque, on which something is written; her dog companion inspects an open manuscript. This may be an allusion to witchcraft -- a not very well tolerated practice in the time -- or, perhaps more ecumenically, to the notion that the laws of nature are possessed by the Divine. Regardless, the image is consistent with the emphasis upon the pastoral, which was popular at the time. |
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