Joseph Desire Court (1797-1865)This French Neo-classical by Joseph Desire Court depicts a scene from the Iliad in which Achilles consults with the eldest of the Achaeans leaders, Nestor of Pylos. To Nestor's left sits a docile Agamemnon who has been quarreling with Achilles. This moment is one of great tension in the Iliad as it marks the beginning of the end of that quarrel.Little biographical information could be gleaned on Court. Hopefully this lack will be rectified in the near future. The darkness of the entire work is contrasted by a bright emphasis on Achilles who is the central figure of the work. The beauty of the male nude form is accentuated by the fact that only Achilles is nude in contrast to the heavy robes and armor of the rest of the court of Nestor.
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