Cephalus and Aurora

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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Aurora, goddess of dawn, is in love with the mortal Cephalus and tries to seduce him. Cephalus, dressed here in blue, turns away from Aurora, rejecting her advances. He gazes towards a portrait of his wife, Procris, held by a winged cupid. Later, when Cephalus and Procris are reunited, they each doubt the fidelity of the other. Their story ends tragically when Cephalus accidentally kills his wife with a magic spear. To the left of Aurora and Cephalus is a reclining river god, probably Oceanus, and beside him is the winged horse Pegasus. The background figure wearing a wreath of corn and holding flowers could be Terra, a goddess associated with the awakening earth. The faint outline of the sun god Apollo in his chariot can be seen in the vivid orange sky.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Cephalus and Aurora

Date

about 1630

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 96.9 x W 131.3 cm

Accession number

NG65

Acquisition method

G.J. Cholmondely Bequest, 1831

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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