Dido's Sacrifice to Juno 1767 - 1779

"Dido's Sacrifice to Juno" (1767-1779), by French painter Jean-Bernard Restout, depicts a scene from Virgil's Aeneid, a foundational text of Western literature. Dido, Queen of Carthage, kneels before a statue of Juno as she prepares to sacrifice herself, highlighting a pivotal moment of tragedy and divine intervention. The artwork's use of warm tones and detailed depiction of the figures convey the emotional intensity of the moment. Located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this small-scale painting exemplifies the stylistic trends of 18th-century Rococo art, known for its elegant brushwork and emphasis on dramatic narratives.