Ulysses And His Companions Avoid The Charms Of The Sirens

48.5 x 32 cm (19.1 x 12.6 inches).
Ulysses And His Companions Avoid The Charms Of The Sirens
This spectacular baroque engraving is from Bernard Picart's Le Temple Des Muses.
The engraving was made in 1733, is from the first edition and is an original antique. It has captions in French, English, German, and Dutch.
It is in very good condition for its age.
Ulysses (Odysseus) is a legendary Greek king and hero of Homer's Odyssey. He is renowned for his intellect, guile, and versatility. In the Odyssey, he and his men spend 10 years trying to return home after the Trojan War to reassert his place as king of Ithaca. They pass the island of the Sirens, dangerous mermaids who lure sailors with enchanting music to shipwreck on their island. To resist their charms, Ulysses muffles his men's ears with wax and straps himself to his ship's mast.

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