Dido at The Louvre, Paris

cults3d

This undated marble statue of Dido is attributed to Christophe Cochet, whose recorded history spans 1606 to 1634. The statue once stood in the park of Marly, France, adorning one of Agrippina's fountains in 1707. It is possible to identify Dido through her physical appearance, reflecting her life after Enée's departure, successfully captured by Cochet. As a relatively unknown sculptor, Cochet collaborated with his friend Simon Vouet in Rome between 1615 and 1618 before returning to Paris to produce an official portrait of Marie de Médicis for the Palace of Luxembourg. The sculpture depicts Dido committing suicide as described in Virgil's Aeneid. After a dream following Sychaeus' death, her husband appeared to her, urging her to flee the country and revealing where his gold was buried. Dido left with those who hated or feared Pygmalion, Sychaeus' killer. Sometime later, Dido fell in love with Trojan hero Aeneas, facilitated by Juno and Venus. Jupiter dispatched Mercury to send Aeneas away, but he reluctantly obeyed. Dido can no longer bear to live. She has her sister Anna build a pyre under the pretext of burning all that reminded her of Aeneas, including weapons and clothes left behind by him, as well as their bridal bed. When Dido sees Aeneas' fleet leaving, she curses him and his Trojans, proclaiming endless hate between Carthage and the descendants of Troy, foreshadowing the Punic Wars. Dido ascends the pyre, lies on the couch shared with Aeneas, and then falls on a sword given to her by Aeneas. During his journey through the underworld, Aeneas meets Dido and attempts to take his own life, but she refuses to look at him. Instead, she turns away from Aeneas to a grove where her former husband Sychaeus awaits.