The European Art Sale Part I
The European Art Sale Part I
West Coast Private Collection
Cleobis and Biton
Auction Closed
January 27, 04:44 PM GMT
Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
West Coast Private Collection
Carl Ernst von Stetten
German
1857 - 1942
Cleobis and Biton
signed, inscribed, and dated Carl v. Stetten./ Paris. 1884. (lower right)
oil on canvas
canvas: 62 by 88 in.; 157.4 by 223.5 cm
framed: 80¼ by 106¼ in.; 203.8 by 269.8 cm
with Dumachell Art Gallery, Gross Pointe, Michigan
Private collection, Los Angeles
Acquired from the above by the present owner
The scene is taken from Herodotus's story of the Argive brothers, Cleobis and Biton. Their mother, a priestess of Hera, found that her oxen were not brought in time for a festival, and thus her sons drew her car the forty-five stades to the temple. She prayed to the goddess to grant them the greatest boon possible for mortals, and her decision caused them to die while they slept in the temple. The brothers were honored with statues at Delphi.