The Procession of the Trojan Horse into Troy

This painting shows an episode from the mythological Trojan War, as described by the Roman poet Virgil in the Aeneid. The Trojans rejoice as they pull a large wooden horse into their city, believing it to be a gift from the gods; it actually conceals a band of Greek soldiers. In the background, Cassandra, daughter of the King of Troy, is being arrested for having prophesied disaster if the horse entered the city. She turned out to be right: once inside, the Greeks took control of Troy.

The feverish activity of the crowd and the horse's muscular build and looming stature convey the story's epic nature. The high walls and the sharply receding space lead our eye towards the city of Troy in the di...