Jason swearing Eternal Affection to Medea

According to Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' (Book VII), Jason was sent to steal the Golden Fleece from Colchis and was aided by Medea, daughter of the king of Colchis and a sorceress, whom he married but later deserted.

This is one of seven illustrations of the story of Jason made by de Troy as a series of sketches for cartoons for the Gobelins tapestry works in Paris. The Gallery has another work from the same series: 'The Capture of the Golden Fleece'. The tapestries were woven in several sets, one of which is in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The sketches were finished by 15 February 1743; six of them, including this picture, were in the de Troy sale in Paris in 1764.