Cleobis and Biton

mythological

Cleobis and Biton, in Greek legend, as recounted by Herodotus, were the sons of Cydippe (a priestess of Hera, queen of the gods). At Argos, they were noted for their filial devotion and for their athletic prowess and strength. During an Argive festival honouring Hera, Cydippe was called to the temple.

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About the Artist

Nicolas-Pierre Loir

1624 – 1679

French painter, brother of the silversmith and engraver Alexis Loir (1640-1713). Nicolas-Pierre Loir's masters were Simon Vouet and Sébastien Bourdon. During his stay in Italy from 1647 to 1649, he met Nicolas Poussin in Rome, an encounter that was to have a clear influence on his painting. He was accepted as an academician in 1663 (or in 1666 according to some biographers) on the recommendation of Louis XIV and Charles Le Brun. He featured in the Salon in Paris in 1673. In 1650, Loir painted St Paul and the Prophet Elymas for the basilica of Notre Dame in Paris, as well as many decorative panels for Versailles (Marie-Thérèse's apartments) and the Tuileries. Contemporaries acknowledged his great talent for painting women and children.

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