The Hybris of Niobe

The Hybris of Niobe

Niobe, in a fit of arrogance, bragged about her fourteen children.

In fact, Niobe said that she was superior to Leto, as she had fourteen children and not only two.

When the twins knew this insult, they got enraged and at once, came down to Earth to kill the children of Niobe.

Apollo, killed all seven of Niobe’s sons with his powerful arrows in front of their mother’s eyes.

Although Niobe was pleading Apollo to feel mercy for her last surviving son, Apollo’s lethal arrow had already left his bow to find its mark with deadly accuracy, thus wiping out all the male descendants of Niobe.

Artemis, killed Niobe’s seven daughters with her lethal arrows and their dead bodies were lying unburied for nine days.

19th.century,

Bartolomeo Pinelli,

Italian,

1771-1835,

graphite, feather in gray, brown & gray wash heightened in white on paper.