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Danaë

Image credit: Bridgend County Borough Council

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Notes

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Danaë was the daughter of Acrisius of Argos and the mother of Perseus by Zeus. Acrisius went to the oracle at Delphi to ask if he would ever have a grandson. The oracle told him that he would have a grandson, but he would kill Acrisius. Acrisius then locked Danaë into a vault to prevent her from having a child. Zeus saw how beautiful she was and went through the metal walls and fell on her as a golden rain. When Perseus was born, Acrisius found out and had Danaë and Perseus sealed in a wooden box and thrown into the sea. The box was caught by Dictys and pulled up on the shore of Serifos. The king of the island Polydectes fell in love with Danaë. Eventually he sent the grown up Perseus away on his adventures to bring back the head of the Medusa.

Bridgend County Borough Council Civic Offices

Bridgend

Title

Danaë

Medium

oil on canvas

Measurements

H 81 x W 81 cm

Accession number

PCF7

Acquisition method

inherited from the former Maesteg Urban District Council by the former Ogwr Borough Council and by Bridgend County Borough Council from them

Work type

Painting

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Bridgend County Borough Council Civic Offices

Angel Street, Bridgend, Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) CF31 4WB Wales

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