Iris Carrying the Water of the River Styx to Olympus for the Gods to Swear By, ca. 1793. Guy Head. Oil on canvas. Purchase: the Mr. and Mrs. Earl D. Wilberg Fund for European Art, Louis L. and Adelaide C. Ward Fund for European Art, the bequest of Menefee D. Blackwell (by exchange), and The Nelson Gallery Foundation.
In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods. Here, she is shown in the Underworld, floating over the River Styx holding a golden jar that Zeus, the king of the gods, had instructed her to fill with river water and carry back to Mount Olympus. Zeus used the sacred water in a ritual designed to secure oaths of obedience from other gods and goddesses. This is a rare example of strict Neoclassicism in British painting, and the profile pose and transparent drapery are inspired by classical models, including ancient Greek and Roman vases.
