The artwork titled “Diana and Apollo piercing with their arrows the children of Niobe” was created by the artist Jacques-Louis David in 1772. It is an oil painting on canvas, measuring 121 by 154 centimeters. This piece belongs to the Neoclassical period and is an exemplar of history and mythological painting genres. The artwork is housed in the Dallas Museum of Art, located in Dallas, Texas, United States.
In the artwork, the dramatic scene from ancient Greek mythology is depicted with an intense emotional charge. In the foreground, Niobe, the queen of Thebes, is seen in a state of anguish as she witnesses the divine retribution being meted out to her children by the twin deities, Diana and Apollo. Niobe’s pride in her numerous offspring provoked the wrath of the gods, leading to this tragic outcome. Apollo, identifiable by his bow, is portrayed in the act of drawing his bow in the upper left, while Diana is shown on the right, also with her bow, as they deliver their lethal arrows. The bodies of Niobe’s children are strewn across the composition, their poses reflecting the sudden and violent nature of their deaths.
David’s mastery of classical form, composition, and the use of light to emphasize the drama is evident in this work. The figures are idealized, typical of the Neoclassical style, which sought to revive the aesthetic principles of classical antiquity. The emotional intensity, combined with the grandeur of the scene, underlines the narrative of the myth while adhering to the aesthetic values of the period.