https://thehistorianshut.com/2020/07/09/athena-appearing-to-odysseus-to-reveal-the-island-of-ithaca-by-giuseppe-bottani-1717-1784/

Observations and Analysis

A clear representation of Athena’s leadership in The Odyssey, the painting shows the scene in Book 13 where Athena reveals herself and the all the help she’s given to Odysseus on the shore of Ithaca upon his arrival home. In the book, it is said that Athena approaches Odysseus first disguised as a shepherd boy but then drops her disguise to show herself as the goddess she really is — which is the form she’s represented in in the painting. In the scene shown, Athena (left) seems to frantically be directing Odysseus’s (right) attention towards land across the water, which can be deduced by her outstretched arm and pointed finger in that direction and also her posture facing halfway towards Odysseus and halfway towards Ithaca. Her facial expression seems to be that of someone gently guiding the attention of another — neither angry nor excited, with her mouth and eyes seeming neutral. Odysseus, however, appears nervous and wary, as he’s sort of hunched over and peering around Athena, looking small and timidly toward Ithaca, showing his apprehension that’s described in the book when he first arrives on the shore and doesn’t recognize or believe that he’s actually back in Ithaca. The pastel coloring of both Athena’s clothing and of the natural background suggest a light, hopeful mood to the painting, perhaps to resemble the feelings going on for Odysseus in the scene depicted.

Research and Representation

Created by Italian artist Giuseppe Bottani, the oil painting was created during the Baroque period sometime between 1717 and 1784 — apart from those facts, there is not much else known about the painting. The scene itself that the painting presents is mostly accurate to the scene described in Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey. Most notably, the perceived emotions going on in Bottani’s image differ from those of Wilson’s, with both Athena and Odysseus shown feeling neutral or worried in the former version, while in Wilson’s work Athena is said to have “smiled into [Odysseus’s] eyes” and Odysseus as being “filled with happiness” at the revelation of Ithaca. The depiction in Wilson’s translation paints the interaction between the goddess and Odysseus as much more joyful than what is shown in Bottani’s painting. However, the setting, mist covering Ithaca, and the lack of disguise over Athena all read as accurate to Wilson’s version of events, with Athena guiding Odysseus towards Ithaca from the shore and lifting the mist to help him see.

Voices Behind the Image

While there’s no innate voice being silenced in this painting, like that of the Cyclops shown in class, a kind of hidden aspect of the image that is represented in the book is Odysseus’s privilege in being guided home after all he’s done on his journey, particularly the harm he’s caused others. Athena, viewing Odysseus as a cunning and intelligent man — represented by the many praises he gives Odysseus in the scene depicted in Book 13, like calling him a “clever rascal” and saying that he is “so duplicitous, so talented at lying” — seems to fail to see Odysseus’s faults. Having stolen and ransacked from people, invaded and attacked the Cyclops’s home, and the various instances of infidelity, Odysseus is not an amazing person, yet his actions go (mostly) without consequence in the end, hence his ability to come home in the end and retrieve his original place in his home and family, while those he killed, stole from, and hurt on his journey suffer. Odysseus’s unscathed appearance in the painting further perpetuates the lack of consequence he faces for his actions.