This is a reproduction of "The Wounded Philoctetes" of 1775 by Nikolaj Abraham Abildgaard. This Danish artist produced this Neo-classic masterpiece at the age of thirty-two. He was trained at the Royal Academy of Art in his native Copenhagen and for the five years ending in 1777 was in Rome where this was painted. He became the foremost Danish artist of the Neoclassical Academic style and became director of the academy in 1789. He died on June 4, 1809. This masterpiece is in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Philoctetes was a Thessalian prince of the Trojan War who was wounded in the foot by the bite of a snake on Lemnos on the way to Troy. He carried the bow and arrows of Herakles and was stranded on the island because he was thought to be cursed. Hearing later that the bow and arrows of Herakles were required to lay waste to Troy, Odysseus led the mission that rescued Philoctetes who rejoined the hosts of the Achaeans. This painting portrays the agonies of Philoctetes.
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