Farnese Bull, Nike, and Achilles

Published on

by Henk Bekker

Farnese Bull, Nike, and Achilles

Center:
Farnese Bull

Right:
Warrior with child (Achilles and Troilus)

Left: Nike

The Farnese Bull (Toro Farnese), or more accurately, Group with the Torment of Dirce (Gruppo con il supplizio di Dirce), in the Naples Archaeological Museum

The Toro Farnese captures the moment just before Circe is tied to the bull. The two naked young men (they are the sons of a god after all) struggle to get the wild bull under control while a rather passive Antiope, back right side, directs them from the rear.