Ansel Krut (SOUTH AFRICAN B. 1959), A SET OF THREE WORKS DEPICTING MYTHOLOGICAL SCENES

Lot description

ANSEL KRUT (SOUTH AFRICAN B. 1959)THESEUS AMONGST THE AMAZONS; TEREUS AND PHILOMELA; EUROPA, SET OF THREE WORKS Oil on copperEach 22.5 x 28cm (8¾ x 11 in.) (3)Painted in 1998. Provenance:Jason & Rhodes, LondonPurchased from the above in 1998 by the present owner Theseus and AntiopeThis myth tells the story of the love between the Athenian hero Theseus and Antiope, queen of the Amazons. During Heracles' campaign against the Amazons, Theseus joined the expedition and, after their victory, either abducted Antiope or she left with him by choice-the sources differ. In Athens, they fell in love and had a son, Hippolytus. But the Amazons, determined to rescue their queen or punish her for betrayal, invaded Attica. In the chaos of battle, Antiope was killed-either by her own people or by mistake, as she fought at Theseus' side.Tereus, Procne, and PhilomelaIn this dark legend, Tereus, king of Thrace, marries Procne, daughter of the Athenian king Pandion. But when he meets her sister Philomela, desire overtakes him. Claiming Procne is dead, he lures Philomela into isolation and, in most versions, violently rapes her. To silence her, he cuts out her tongue. But Philomela finds a voice through thread and needle-she weaves her story into cloth and sends it to her sister. In a chilling act of revenge, Procne kills their son Itys and serves him to Tereus. When he discovers the truth, he chases the sisters with an axe, but the gods intervene, turning all three into birds: Tereus into a hoopoe, Procne into a nightingale, and Philomela into a swallow.Europa This myth tells of the fateful love pursuit between Europa, daughter of Agenor, king of Phoenicia, and Zeus, ruler of the gods. One day, as Europa played in a meadow among other young maidens, her beauty stood out-radiant, serene, and irresistible. Zeus, struck by sudden desire, devised a plan to abduct her. He transformed himself into a magnificent white bull, so gentle and calm that the maidens were enchanted. Europa, charmed by the creature's grace, climbed onto its back. At once, the bull rose and carried her across the sea to Crete.There, Zeus revealed his true form and made Europa his consort. She bore him three sons-Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon-each later known for their wisdom and justice and after their human life's end appointed as judges of the Underworld.Zeus cherished Europa and gave her three miraculous gifts: Talos, a bronze man who served as her tireless guardian; Laelaps, a magical hound that never failed to catch its prey; and a javelin that never missed its mark. Europa later married Asterius, king of Crete, who adopted her sons and made her the island's first queen.