Aeneas at the Court of Latinus 1663

Ferdinand Bol painted “Aeneas at the Court of Latinus”, a scene inspired by Virgil’s Aeneid, sometime in the 17th century. Painted during the Dutch Golden Age, Bol's work reflects a society grappling with its burgeoning global identity, steeped in trade and conquest. Note how the opulence of Latinus’s court is rendered with careful attention to the exotic details of dress. In Virgil’s epic, Aeneas’s arrival in Italy is the catalyst for war. Here, however, Bol reframes the narrative, presenting a scene of diplomacy where gifts are exchanged. But, who benefits from this apparent peace? The ships loom in the background as a reminder of the military power Aeneas brought with him. This is a negotiation, but one clearly conducted from a position of strength. Bol’s painting invites us to consider the complexities of intercultural encounters, power dynamics, and the legacies of colonialism. How might we view such a scene differently today, aware of the histories of exploitation and displacement that have shaped our world?