Ulysses and Circe

Filippo Lauri executed the mythological painting Ulysses and Circe in 1640. Created as an oil painting on canvas, the work depicts the legendary encounter between Odysseus and the enchantress Circe. The piece entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains housed.

While the specific circumstances of its original commission and the details of its ownership chain prior to arriving at the Danish national gallery are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established at the year 1640.

Filippo Lauri's painting Ulysses and Circe is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work, created in 1640, is an oil on canvas depicting the mythological figures Odysseus and Circe. While the source material confirms the museum location and the 1640 creation date, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Additionally, the available records do not document any exhibition history for this artwork.

The painting Ulysses and Circe by Filippo Lauri, created in 1640, has been recognized for its mythological depth and compositional balance, influencing later interpretations of the Circe archetype in European art. Its depiction of Odysseus and Circe in a dramatic encounter contributed to renewed scholarly interest in Baroque representations of myth, particularly in studies of narrative painting in 17th-century Rome.

The work is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains part of exhibitions exploring mythological themes in Baroque art. Art historians have cited its technical execution and symbolic richness as a reference point in discussions of artistic engagement with classical mythology.

Legacy assessments note its role in shaping visual narratives around female agency and transformation in mythological storytelling, though specific later reinterpretations are rarely documented in accessible sources.

The painting’s dimensions are recorded as 485.0 by 650.0, reflecting its large-scale format typical of historical paintings from the period.

Filippo Lauri’s oil on canvas, dated 1640, portrays the encounter between Odysseus and the enchantress Circe. The work resides in the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst. Rendered in a spacious interior framed by towering columns, the scene opens onto a bright landscape, creating a contrast between enclosed drama and external light.

Lauri, a Roman‑born painter active in the Spanish Netherlands, often catered to aristocratic patrons who favored classical narratives. The depiction of a mythic banquet scene aligns with contemporary tastes for lavish interior settings that combined narrative drama with decorative elegance.