The image I have chosen depicts the scene in book 6 where Odysseus meets Nausicaa and her slaves after he had washed up on the shores of Scheria. In this image we can see that as described in the Odyssey, Odysseus looks very beaten up, and is naked, which is the result of him being lost at sea for days. Odysseus is on his knees in this image, showing how vulnerable and desperate he was at this moment for any kind of help. Nausicaa’s slaves are frightened of him, stumbling over both each other and the laundry and the mules. While several slaves run away, there are also a few slaves in the background, watching the scene unfold as they do the princess’s laundry. Nausicaa herself however remains calm, separated from the frightened slaves. She’s standing tall, and faces Odysseus directly.

The creator of this image was a Dutch painter by the name of Pieter Lastman. He was considered an important painter because he primarily painted historical pieces, and in this case, he painted important scenes from stories like the Odyssey. According to my research, Lastman’s paintings focus on the subject’s faces, hands, and feet. Looking back onto the painting he did of Odysseus and Nausicaa, it is clear that there is a focus on faces, hands and feet. For instance, Nausicaa, who stands fearless in front of Odysseus, has a face of confidence, and her hands are outstretched, almost in a welcoming way. Her hands are also relaxed, her feet are positioned in a way that makes her body language appear more open. The slaves on the other hand have faces of shock, and any of their hands are thrown up defensively. Despite some of the slaves running away, their faces are still visible and clearly defined, looking back at Odysseus even as they flee. Odysseus himself has a frightening expression, one of depravity. His hands, like Nausicaa, are also outstretched and hang at his sides, although he is attempting to appear less intimidating in hopes of receiving help from these people.

The main theme of book 6 is hospitality. I believe that the theme of hospitality is so strong in the scene depicted in the painting that things like the body language of the characters illustrate the theme of hospitality. For instance, there is Nausicaa and her body language. As said before, her stance is wide, and her arms are outstretched. She has a calm expression on her face, and she stands away from the frightened slaves in a way that makes her seem more confident. I believe the artist painted her like this intentionally to show how hospitable she was. On the other hand, the slave’s body languages are painted in a way that makes their behavior seem closed off and uninviting. This is done to show how the slaves were afraid of Odysseus, and how they were initially inhospitable to him. The audience can put themselves in Odysseus’s perspective by examining the body language of both Nausicaa and her slaves, and how the audience feels a sense of bravery and warmth from Nausicaa.