Painting of the Month

Turner, 'Ulysses deriding Polyphemus - Homer's Odyssey', 1829
Special Feature: Greek Myths

Turner's painting illustrates a scene from the 'Odyssey', an epic poem by the ancient Greek author Homer. Ulysses, King of Ithaca was a hero of the Trojan War, an epic ten-year battle which inspired many ancient authors. 'The Odyssey' tells how Ulysses wandered for a further ten years after the war, suffering many hardships and adventures in his quest to reach home.

These myths, filled with the exploits of the gods and heroes of antiquity, have inspired artists for centuries.

Click on the links to see some of these stories in the National Gallery's paintings.

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