The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis

The Wedding of Peleus and Thetis
Tapestry
Wool and silk
Flanders
Circa 1630
Royal Fortress of Chinon
Inv No. CH.2007.0.059

This banquet depicts the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, to which all the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus were invited apart from the Goddess Eris.

Thetis was a sea nymph and was courted by both Zeus and Poseidon. But following a prediction that the son she would bear would be more powerful than his father, the gods abandoned her and she was forced to marry a mortal, Peleus, King of Thessaly. The son issuing from this union was the famous Greek hero, Achilles. It was during this banquet that the Goddess Eris, who had not been invited to the wedding, dropped down the legendary “Apple of Discord” which led ultimately to the Trojan War.

Although this tapestry is dated from the 17th century, this feast of the gods contains all the protocol of a medieval banquet. Zeus and his wife Hera are crowned and preside over the banquet under a suspended canopy. The Apple of Discord has already been placed on the table by Eris as Hera appears to be holding it in her hand. From left to right we then see:

  • Poseidon, God of the Sea, with his trident,
  • Apollo, God of Music and the Arts, with his lyre,
  • Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, and her billhook,
  • Hermes, messenger to the gods, with his winged helmet,
  • Athena, with her plumed helmet and her spear,

The newlyweds are seated between Athena and Ares, the Goddess and God of War, depicted in armour. Peleus and Thetis are both wearing laurel wreaths, the quintessential nuptial symbol in Antiquity. Behind them, we see a ceremonial dresser on which stands a gold ewer, and on the table numerous gold cups and bowls. The other gods come next, always with their trademark accessories:

  • Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, accompanied by Cupid (with his bow),
  • Dionysus, God of Wine, wearing a wreath of grapes and vine leaves,
  • Hades, God of the Underworld, and his two-pronged spear.

The Olympian pantheon has 14 gods, only 11 of whom are represented on this tapestry (Artemis, Hephaestus and Hestia are missing). But with Eris, Thetis and Peleus, the number of characters around the table is symbolically 14.

The theme of a feast of the gods, depicting ancient deities busy chatting, eating and drinking in a sumptuous setting, symbolises abundance and peace. It developed in Flanders (southern Netherlands) in the early 17th century and quickly became very popular, giving rise to numerous Mannerist paintings by the likes of Brueghel and Van Balen, etc.).

 

FOR KIDS
This large tapestry dating from the 17th century shows all the gods of Olympus gathered for the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Which gods do you recognise?
If you look carefully, you can see Poseidon, the god of the seas, with his trident, Hermes, the messenger of the gods, with his winged helmet, and Athena, the goddess of war, with her plume helmet and spear...