Atalanta and Meleager

Meleager presents the head of a wild boar as a token of his love to the huntress Atalanta. Based on Greek mythology, the boar had been terrorising the people of Calydon. Meleager also holds the sword he used to kill his uncles during an argument over the boar. Their bodies lie in the background. Le Brun dominated the arts in France under Louis XIV (1638-1715). This picture was originally a tapestry design. The landscape and animals may have been painted by other artists, which was common studio practice at the time.