Thetis Dipping the Infant Achilles into the Waters of the Styx 1671 - 1749

This brown ink drawing by Italian artist Donato Creti depicts the Greek myth of Thetis, the mother of Achilles, dipping her infant son in the River Styx to make him invulnerable. The composition is dynamic, showing Thetis in the center with her arm reaching towards a figure in the foreground, while Achilles is held in her other arm. The figure lying in the background suggests the Styx river, and others in the drawing may be other mythical figures. The drawing's loose style suggests a preliminary sketch for a larger, more elaborate work. Creti's use of line creates an almost fluid quality, giving a sense of movement and gesture.