Odysseus and Nausicaa 2. 1910 Valentin Serov (1865-1911)

Description of Valentin Serov’s painting "Odysseus and Nausicaia

The painting was painted in gouache on cardboard in 1910.

Style in painting: Art Nouveau.

Serov’s painting Odysseus and the Nausicaia belongs to the genre of mythological painting. Serov painted the picture on the events described in Greek myths and legends. Homer’s poem "The Odyssey" tells us that Nausicaia saw in a dream the goddess Athena, who ordered her to go ashore to wash her clothes and prepare for her impending wedding. The goddess presented herself as a friend of Nausicaia’s.

The girl did so, on the shore she began to play ball with her maids, in the course of the game they accidentally discovered Odysseus. The maids of Nausikai were very frightened, but the girl realized that before her was a man who had been shipwrecked. She was able to speak to him thanks to the power given to her by the goddess Athena.

Nausicaia saved Odysseus’ life and dreamed that he would marry her. Her father helps Odysseus return to his native land. She followed Odysseus, captivated by his beauty, but soon decided to return as she did not want to be seen with a stranger.

Serov’s painting is a kind of illustration of Homer’s great work. He depicted Nausicaia riding along the coast of the Phoenicians in a chariot. This is exactly the shore where Odysseus was thrown. Nausicaia stands proudly and with dignity in a chariot pulled by two mules.

Her maids follow her, and the column is completed by Odysseus in the white robes that Navsica gave him. Though the images are not clear, you can see that Odysseus is depicted exhausted and tired.

The clouds on Serov’s canvas resemble the image of ancient gods and heroes who are watching everything that is going on. The artist depicted the sky, which occupies most of the canvas, painting each stroke with special depth.

This event has been trotted out on the canvases of many artists.

The painting is in storage at the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.