Orpheus and Eurydice, Jean Raoux, about 1709, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum

This painting shows the most tragic moment of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. The myth begins with a beautiful and hopeful love story where Orpheus was the son of a Muse named Calliope, and he taught him how to play the lyre and sing beautiful songs (Morford 385). Orpheus lived a happy life but he felt something was missing until he met the nymph Eurydice. They fell in love and got married, however, Hymen, the god of marriage, warned them about bad things to come. Later on, Eurydice was bitten by a poisonous snake and died. Jean Raoux's 1709 painting of Orpheus and Eurydice illustrates the myth's turning point highlighting how Orpheus's moment of impatience and lack of trust tragically defeat a love powerful enough to challenge death itself.

Overwhelmed with grief, Orpheus decided to do something no other person had ever done. He chose to journey to the Underworld to bring Eurydice back. He took his lyre and traveled through a "crack in the dark cave" to find Hades and his wife, Persephone (Morford 385). He used his music to charm the creatures of the Underworld. Orpheus played his lyre and sang a sad song, begging Hades to let him have Eurydice back (Morford 385). The king and queen of the Underworld agreed to give Orpheus a chance, persuaded by his music. The only rule was that he had to keep moving forward. He could not look back at Eurydice until they were both completely out of the Underworld (Morford 385). The two lovers agreed and Orpheus started his escape from the Underworld with Eurydice following behind. Orpheus begins to doubt as he can’t hear her footsteps, and fear takes over. He’s afraid the gods tricked him, or that she’s not really there. He turned because he loved her so much and just wanted to see her since he couldn’t take the chance of returning without her (Lee 345).

The painting shows the exact moment Orpheus fails his task. You can see Eurydice's head turn back, unable to see the future she and Orpheus were meant to look forward to. As Orpheus finally reached the sunlight, he didn't trust that Eurydice was still there (Lee 345). He turned around to check but Eurydice was not yet fully out of the Underworld. With a cry, she sank back into the darkness forever. Under the shadow of death, Orpheus would now mournfully sing Eurydice's name forever (Woodlief). The background’s dark tone perfectly reflects the despair of this emphasizes the harsh reality of their separation. The ending of the myth is filled with darkness, as Eurydice disappears back into the shadows and Orpheus is left in utter desolation with his lyre.

The story has had a lasting legacy since it has influenced many works of art from ancient poetry to modern musicals like Hadestown. The story has even been reimagined in a 1959 film called Black Orpheus, which retells the myth in Brazil during carnival time. The image shows the pain of a love that was fated to end in tragedy making it a perfect example of the "star-crossed lovers" archetype. This painting shows us that even with the greatest love and talent, some things like death are impossible to overcome.