Impiety of Salmoneus
WAG 7655
Information
This is part of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. This composition was used for a headpiece in 'Le Souvenir', a memorandum book published by Suttaby, Evance, Fox, Richardson/London in 1825, on the page for 16th January.
The arrogant Salmoneus established the kingdom of Salmonia and demanded that his subjects worship him like the god Zeus. He dragged bronze kettles behind his charriot to make thunder and threw torches to make lightning. Eventually, Zeus became angry with Salmoneus and struck him dead with a thunderbolt.