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Lot 32
Attributed to William Etty (British, 1787–1849) Hylas and the Nymphs
Sale 5953 - European Art & Old Master Paintings
Feb 23, 2021
7:00AM ET
Live / Philadelphia
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Lot Description
Attributed to William Etty (British, 1787–1849) Hylas and the Nymphs
Provenance: The Forbes Collection.
NOTE:
In Greek mythology, Hylas was the son of Theiodamas, King of the Dryopians, and served as Heracles's companion and assistant. On his quest for the Golden Fleece, during a stopover near the coast of Mysia, Hylas was abducted by nymphs who deeply fell in love with him as he was drinking by the water, forever dragging him into the depths of the river. Worried by the sudden disappearance of his companion, Heracles endlessly sought out the land along with Polyphemus. Meanwhile, the Argonauts took advantage of a favorable wind and left without them.
The present painting was part of The Forbes Collection at the Palais Mendoub, Tangiers, Morocco from the 1970s to the early 1990s.