Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
This painting, by the Italian artist Stefano Pozzi (c. 1699-1768), was inspired by a tale from ancient history. In the forefront of the scene, the four main figures of the painting can be linked to historical figures. On the right, cloaked in red and wearing a crown, is King Seleucus I Nicator (r. 305-281 BCE). Standing beside him, the crowned woman wearing blue and white, is Queen Stratonice - she was a member of the Antigonid Dynasty and married Seleucus in 298 BCE. By that time, Seleucus had been previously married, and he already had children. This brings us to the man the bed. He is Antiochus, a son of King Seleucus and also the stepson of Sratonice. In the scene featured above, Antiochus suffers from a sickness that left him bedridden. For this reason, a physician named Erasistratus was summoned, and he is represented in the painting by the figure located on the left side of the canvas, seen leaning down to check Antiochus’ pulse.