French school; end of the XVII century.

French school; end of the XVII century.
"Achilles unveiled before the daughters of Licomedes".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Presents on the back label of the Sala Parés, Barcelona.
Measurements: 52 x 61 cm; 65 x 78 cm (frame).
The legend about Achilles disguised as "Pyrrha" (a name that means "the red one") is an intriguing story that explores both Greek mythology and the tactics employed by its characters to defy fate. In this tale, Thetis, Achilles' mother, attempts to protect her son from the death foretold in the Trojan War. Aware that Achilles was destined to die in battle, she hides him in the court of Lycomedes, king of Scyros, disguising him as a young woman named Pyrrha. While there, Achilles falls in love with Deidamia, the king's daughter, with whom he has a son, Neoptolemus, who will later also participate in the Trojan War.
The way in which Achilles is discovered by Odysseus is particularly ingenious. Odysseus, posing as a merchant, arrives at the court and displays a selection of female gifts along with some weapons hidden among them. Achilles, because of his warlike nature, chooses the weapons over the ornaments, thus revealing his true identity. In another version, Odysseus and his companion Diomedes sound a trumpet to create a false alarm. Achilles, reacting instinctively to the danger, discovers himself to be a warrior. Thanks to this ruse, Odysseus convinces him to join the war.

In this particular case the painting has great similarities with the composition used by Eramus Quellinus II (Antwerp, 1607-1678), which is now part of the collection of the Groeninge Museum in Bruges.