Visual Properties of Aeneas' Flight

            Upon first glance, Barocci successfully manages to capture the attention of viewers through Aeneas, the central figure in the painting. The moment Barocci chooses to paint is when Aeneas must carry his elderly father, Anchises, on his back out of the burning city of Troy. This is an odd position for a figure in Renaissance painting, as it shows Anchises in a state of weakness and dependence on another, whereas typically in Renaissance art the focus is upon the strength and beauty of humanity due to the humanistic ideals of the time. This therefore brings attention to the scene. Also shown in this painting are Aeneas’ son, Ascanius, and wife, Creusa. There is some distance between Creusa and her family in this painting, perhaps alluding to her separation and eventual death during their flight from Troy. Interestingly, Anchises is painted clutching a gold figurine of Athena, the goddess of courage, wisdom, and warfare. Next to Athena is Poseidon, god of the sea. In the Homeric poems, the Odyssey and the Illiad, Athena aids the Greeks in their battle against the Trojans while Poseidon is an ally of Aeneas. The use of colour and light gives the painting a more dramatic appearance. The city looks very dark with only the flames giving light to the city. While both Ascanius and Creusa are painting wearing red garments, Aeneas is wearing a rich green garment. This use of green adds to Aeneas’ heroic qualities and symbolizes new life, courage and growth, all of which are presented in The Aeneid. The figures in contrast to the dark cityscape are very pale. The darkness almost looms around Aeneas and his family, showing their fragility and mortality amongst and the death and destruction that surrounds them. In the background, Greek soldiers can be seen massacring Trojans in fine detail. For instance, one can make out a soldier being thrown from a balcony.  The architecture in this painting reflects the Renaissance ideas of the Classical era, as well as their desire to imitate and pay homage to it. However, as is typical of the Renaissance period, artists impose aspects of their own period upon that of an ancient time. An instance of this is seen in the banister and staircase on the left hand side of the painting. They look like they belong in a 16^th century manor, rather than the ancient city of Troy. The building in the background also appears to have architectural features that were prevalent in the Renaissance. The dome looks similar to that of Brunelleschi’s dome in 15th century Florence. At the bottom left corner, at the base of the banister, is Barocci’s signature along with what can be presumed as the date at which he completed the painting. Barocci’s painting is one that deserves deeper consideration. Upon further inspection, one can see the great detail Barocci put into this painting and his mastery of his craft.