34 - Attributed to Juan de la Corte (Antwerp, circa 1585 - Madrid, 1662)

Attributed to Juan de la Corte (Antwerp, circa 1585 - Madrid, 1662) 'The Abduction of Helen' Oil on canvas. 97,5 x 138 cm. The Museo del Prado preserves an oil on canvas by Juan de la Corte (inv. P003102) depicting the same scene, practically identical in composition, style and colouring to the present work. In its description of the work, the museum states that 'the theme was much repeated in the painter's oeuvre and several versions, with minor variations, of the same subject are known in private collections', information that supports our attribution of the present painting to de la Corte. Apart from minor variations in some of the positions and expressions of the secondary figures and slight compositional differences in the upper right-hand margin, the similarity in the triangle on the barge is unquestionable. They are the white Helen standing amid the chaos and ferocity of the tragic scene, Paris at the prow of the boat, and an enraged Hercules, dressed in a lion's skin, fighting with a spike in his hands against the soldiers who are trying to prevent the boat from moving. These soldiers, sent by Helen's husband Menelaus, 'come to the rescue of their queen from a circular, vaulted building decorated with pilasters reminiscent of Agrippa's Pantheon in Rome', as the Prado illustrates. Born in Antwerp, a fact which is documented in his will, Juan de la Corte probably trained in Flanders but developed his career mainly in Spain, especially at the Court in Madrid. As indicated in a catalogue of an exhibition held in the University of Salamanca in 2006, 'his activity for the Crown of Spain, which continued from 1615, focused mainly on the Buen Retiro Palace, for which he made more than 50 paintings, of which almost all are lost according to the royal inventories.' Regarding his favourite themes, Juan de la Corte himself, as reported by the Prado, confessed that he 'focused on 'architecture, battles, and countries,' genres in which he was highly valued by his contemporaries.' He is, in fact, 'the Spanish painter who most frequently depicts themes from the Trojan War cycle'. Bibliographic references: - Several authors. (2006). 'Imágenes de un siglo. Luces del barroco. Pintura española del siglo XVII'. CCM. Universidad de Salamanca. - Museo del Prado. (n.d.). 'Corte, Juan de la'. https://www.museodelprado.es/aprende/enciclopedia/voz/corte-juan-de-la/4236322c-50b0-4cfa-aa66-36a16bb44dda - Museo del Prado. (n.d.). 'El rapto de Helena'. https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/el-rapto-de-helena/f2ca6e0a-319b-4327-9979-aaff6c30a2dd