The Death of Meleager

Meleager was the son of the vintner Oeneus, whose vineyard was being destroyed by the Calydonian boar. Oeneus enlisted his son and other hunters to kill the boar, including the female athlete Atalanta, whom Meleager loved. Atalanta drew first blood from the boar, which Meleager then finished off, awarding its pelt to her. The other male members of the hunting party became incensed by this act. Further bloodshed ensued and culminated with Meleager’s murder of his two uncles. When his mother learned of the death of her brothers, she put an enchanted log on the fire. When the log burned through, Meleager died, writhing in agony. This print shows Meleager’s final moments, surrounded by his fellow hunters and Atalanta, who weep for him. Their grief over his demise is palpable in the figures’ tense musculature and contorted poses, echoed by the hunting dog at left.