Alcove with Scylla Cutting Her Father Nisus' Hair
1658–1703
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-341-32
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This striking print by French artist Jean Le Pautre captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology. Titled *Alcove withylla Cutting Her Father Nisus' Hair*, the work depicts the treacherous act of Scylla, who cuts a lock of her father King Nisus’s hair to aid his enemy, Minos. Created between 1658 and 1703, the image reflects the Baroque period’s fascination with ancient stories reimagined through ornate, theatrical compositions. As a print in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, this piece highlights Le Pautre’s skill in translating complex narratives into accessible graphic form. French printmakers of the era often produced such works for decorative schemes in homes and palaces, blending storytelling with intricate design. Purchased by the museum’s Advisory Council, the print invites viewers to explore themes of loyalty, betrayal, and fate that resonated in 17th-century Europe. Though research on this specific work remains ongoing, its mythological subject and the artist’s French Baroque sensibility offer a window into how artists used prints to share timeless tales with wider audiences.