The artwork “The Death of Achilles,” created by the renowned artist Peter Paul Rubens around the year 1630, is a mythological painting that exemplifies the Baroque movement. Executed in oil on panel, it finds its home in the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, located in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This piece illustrates the dramatic and emotional moment of the demise of the legendary Greek hero Achilles.
In the artwork, the central figure of Achilles is depicted in the throes of death, having been struck by an arrow, which according to mythology, hit his only vulnerable point—his heel. The composition is dynamic and complex, with figures surrounding Achilles in an array of reactions. To the right, a male assailant draws back his bow, having just released the fatal shot. Others appear deeply affected by the unfolding tragedy; their gestures and expressions convey shock, despair, and anguish. The warm but moody palette enhances the intensity of the scene, while the use of chiaroscuro and dramatic lighting are characteristic of the Baroque period, adding to the emotional impact of the painting. Contrasts of light and dark, along with the fluidity of the figures’ movements, draw the viewer into the action, as Rubens intended to evoke a visceral response to the mythological narrative immortalized in this masterful creation.
