The Death of Achilles
- Artist: Peter Paul Rubens
- Date: 1630-35
- Medium: oil on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is the “The Death of Achilles” by Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens created this panel as the blueprint for the final scene of a grand tapestry series celebrating the legendary Greek warrior. In the composition, Apollo himself points the way, guiding Paris to shoot the fateful arrow that strikes Achilles in his vulnerable heel. The scene is dramatic: the ancient hero lies in agony while the animals in the foreground echo the tragic theme. A proud eagle, a symbol of strength, meets its end at the hands of a sly fox, mirroring Achilles’ downfall.
The painting was completed between 1630 and 1635, using oil on panel. Though this is a relatively small version, Rubens’ assistants expanded the design roughly tenfold to produce a full‑scale tapestry that would later be woven by the finest Flemish artisans. The rich color palette and dynamic composition characteristic of Rubens give the scene a palpable sense of movement and tension, inviting the viewer to imagine the roar of the battlefield and the whisper of the Greek myth.
See it in person
The Death of Achilles hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
