MYTHOLOGY
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Charon
Oil on panel
Author: Joachim Patinir
Date: first half of 16th century
Location: Prado Museum, Madrid
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In Greek mythology, Charon is the ferryman who drives the souls of the
dead through the Acheron river into the Styx marsh to the kingdom of the
underworld, ruled by Hades. He rejects the souls of the dead people who
cannot afford the journey because they had
not been buried with a coin in their mouths.
In classical theatre he is described as a tall old man with a white
beard and white hair and flames in his eyes. He is dressed in fur and he has a
stick which he uses to hit the spirits if they do not row the boat fast enough or if they riot. All
the writers who wrote about him have described him as bad- tempered and quiet.
Charon is mentioned for the first time
in the year 500 B.C in The Myths of Miniada , a poem written by Pausanias.
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Aeneas and Sibilla in the underworld (Charon's boat).
Oil on panel
Author: Jacob van
Swanenburgh
Date: ca. 1625
Location:
National Museum, Gdansk
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Although he is well known, he
only appears in his ferryman role. No one knows whether he was sentenced to
cross the Styx or it was his own choice.
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Charon's boat and a funerary banquet
Detail of the Ancient Greek funerary
relief for Lysimàkides of Acharnes
Location: Kerameikos Archaeological Museum
Athens
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MEANING
We use the name of Caronte when we refer to death or destruction.
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Charon and Psyche
Author: John Roddam Spencer Stanhope
Date: 1883
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The Charon´s boat, the night´s dream and Morpheus
Fresco
Author: Luca Giordano
Date: 1684-1686
Location: Palazzo
Medici-Ricardi, Florence
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