Erminia Finding the Wounded Tancred
Guercino, 1650–1651

This scene is drawn from Torquato Tasso's great Christian epic poem 'Gerusalemme Liberata' where the crusading hero Tancred has emerged victorious but badly wounded from a duel with the Egyptian commander Argantes outside the walls of Jerusalem. His armour bearer has brought Tancred's lover Erminia to the scene, and she rushes up to his limp body, distraught. In Guercino's picture, the poignant emotion and drama of an instant is captured and frozen in time. This work was acquired after a public appeal from the National Galleries of Scotland with the help of the Art Fund grant and an additional donation of £24,000 from Sir Denis Mahon, made through the Art Fund.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Erminia Finding the Wounded Tancred, 1650–1651
Date supported
1996
Medium and material
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
244 x 287 cm
Grant
100000
Total cost
2043096

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