The Sirens and Ulysses

The Sirens and Ulysses is a large oil painting on canvas by the English artist William Etty, first exhibited in 1837.

While traditionally the sirens had been depicted as human–animal chimeras, Etty portrayed them as naked young women, on an island strewn with corpses in varying states of decay.

York-born William Etty (1787–1849) had originally been an apprentice printer in Hull,[1] but on completing his apprenticeship at the age of 18 moved to London to become an artist.

Strongly influenced by the works of Titian and Rubens, he became famous for painting nude figures in biblical, literary and mythological settings.

[2] Throughout his early career Etty was highly regarded by the wealthy lawyer Thomas Myers, who had been educated at Eton College and thus had a good knowledge of classical mythology.

Ulysses wanted to hear their song, so had his crew lash him to the ship's mast under strict orders not to untie him, after which they blocked their ears until they were safely out of range of the island.

[8] Ulysses appears larger than his fellow sailors, while the sirens hold out their arms in traditional dramatic poses.

[11] Etty put a great deal of effort into the painting, including visiting a mortuary to sketch the models for the dead and decaying bodies on the sirens' island.

[13] The work, and Etty's methods in making it, divided opinion: The Gentleman's Magazine considered it "by far the finest [painting] that Mr. Etty has ever painted ... it is a historical work of the first class, and abounds with beauties of all kinds",[14] while The Spectator described it as "a disgusting combination of voluptuousness and loathsome putridity—glowing in colour and wonderful in execution, but conceived in the worst possible taste".

[16] Etty was hoping for £400 for the two paintings, but on being told by Grant that his firm had lost £100,000 that year offered a price of £300 for the pair.

[16] Grant died shortly afterwards,[16] leaving the painting to his brother William, who in turn gave it to the Royal Manchester Institution in 1839.

[7] Etty considered the painting to be his best work, insisting that it form the centrepiece of his 1849 Royal Society of Arts solo exhibition.