Ovid's Metamorphoses

Peter Paul Rubens’ painting depicts a situation involving survival of the fittest. In this battle Meleager, a human is having difficulty defeating the robust Calydonian Boar. He displays the contrast between the two resilient forces through his use of light and dark shades, alternating them throughout the painting. To portray a battle between good and evil, Rubens gave the boar’s territory a dark, gloomy essence. Thus, to contrast the malicious animal, on the right where Meleager and Atlanta are found, the artist generates a luminous glow to the background, indicating power. Rubens slightly radiates the sky, as he paints the combat during sunrise, when the sun gently rises to its peak, unveiling dawn. Clouds shift from murky and ominous, to a light cream color, indicating hope for Meleager and Atlanta’s survival. The new morning is a symbol for victory from Meleager’s perspective, even though he and Atlanta are both shown carrying a bow and arrow and spears to kill the boar. This shows that one powerful force to destroy the boar may not be sufficient. In addition to this, the boar has its hoof placed on an injured man’s chest, establishing its dominance, and warning others to keep away, as otherwise they will suffer the same fate. Subsequently, there is a repetition of elements in the painting, since the tree is illustrated twice, and there are numerous dogs and horses. Rubens created an outlook of trees/shrubs toward the horizon in order to give the painting an overall earthy feel.

Two men dressed in orange are shown blowing horns, possibly intended to calm the boar. The women in the lower left are not concerned about the situation, even though they carry spears in their hands.

“Atlanta and Meleager in the Pursuit of the Cal...

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... when Meleager was growing up his uncles always taunted him, since he was the enemy’s child (even though he was also their sister’s child). They are the ones who persuade Meleager to go on a journey to kill the boar, expressing the domestic tension Meleager was coping with. The painting does not reflect how Meleager’s family is his enemy; it rather suggests that an assembly is trying to combat the boar together. The focal point of this painting is obviously the boar, who shows its strength when it conquers another human being. This painting depicts the main event the entire story is based on, as killing the boar has grave consequences for Meleager, and eventually leads to him to his death. Unity and variety are both shown in this work of art: the people dressed in bright colors are united to kill the boar, but they have different methods to deal with the situation.