The painting is executed in a horizontal format. It depicts two young men pulling a chariot carrying a woman. The scene takes place on a street on a sunny day. Shadows have soft, gradual transitions. Light falls from the left, creating contrasts. The foreground is painted realistically and with great attention to detail. Small folds of textile, reflections of light on skin and objects, and clearly defined facial features are visible. The background is painted with looser brushstrokes, with the shapes of individual elements only suggested. The color scheme is harmonious. The space is deep, thanks to the gradual transition from the darker foreground to the bright background.

In the foreground, at the center of the composition, two young men pull the chariot toward the left. Both are muscular and of equal height. The man on the left has short, brown, wavy hair. He looks to the right, over his shoulder, toward the chariot. His right hand is raised to his left shoulder, holding golden ropes attached to the chariot. In his left hand, he holds the chariot’s pole—the beam used to connect the vehicle to the horse that would normally pull it. He wears a golden garment and a blue belt. On his feet are sandals with golden ribbons wrapped around his calves.

The youth on the right has his head turned toward the temple located on the left side. His reddish hair is tied with a piece of purple fabric, which wraps around his forehead and is tied at the back of his head. His right hand rests on his right shoulder, holding a golden piece of fabric attached to the chariot. With his left hand, he grasps the chariot pole. His torso is bare. Around his hips he has a red garment. On his feet he wears sandals with blue ribbons wrapped around his calves.

On the right side of the painting stands the chariot with the seated woman. Her gaze is directed toward the temple on the left. Her hair is covered with a light veil reaching to her shoulders. A wreath of leaves is placed on the fabric around her head. She wears a long, light garment with golden decorations along the edges. Additionally, she has a light purple garment draped over her shoulders. In her right hand she holds a large golden urn with two side handles and a narrowing neck. The urn is adorned with roses. Her left hand rests on the chariot’s armrest, on which a blue cushion supports her hand. Her right foot is visible beneath her long garment. She wears light, elegant sandals. Beneath her foot lies a blue cushion. The chariot is golden and ornate. The left wheel of the vehicle is visible; it is large and wooden with a metal rim.

In the background, in the upper left corner, against a bright sky, stands a monopteros—a Greek circular temple consisting of a ring of columns supporting a roof. It is surrounded by columns, and its dome is flattened. Inside, between the columns, there is a light-colored statue. The temple occupies a significant portion of the left side of the painting. Shown against the bright sky, its outlines stand out clearly, drawing the viewer’s attention. Around the temple are several figures dressed in long, multicolored robes.

In the background, at the center of the painting, there is a bright obelisk—a monument shaped like a long column with a pyramidal top. In front of the obelisk, behind the figures in the foreground, stands a tall tree and the corner of a building. The building is decorated with a sculpture of a lion lying on its belly. The arrangement of the chariot, tree, and architectural elements on the right side forms a triangle that encloses the group of the main figures.

In the background, between the figures in the foreground, are people observing the unfolding scene. Between the young men and the chariot stand a woman, an elderly man, and a child. The man points toward the protagonists of the scene. The figures wear colorful garments and have expressive facial expressions. Their silhouettes are shaded. Behind the chariot, near the right edge of the painting, stands a woman in a pink garment looking to the right. Behind her is a figure turned away, carrying a basket on their head.

The artwork illustrates the story of Cydippe, priestess of Hera in Argos, and her two sons, Cleobis and Biton. When Cydippe was suddenly summoned to the temple to offer a sacrifice, it turned out that the oxen were working in the fields. Her sons then harnessed themselves to the chariot and brought her to the temple. Exhausted, they fell asleep in the shade of an oak tree. Moved by their devotion, the mother asked the gods to grant her sons the greatest gift a human could receive. The gods fulfilled her request by sending the youths death in their sleep. The artist depicts the moment the priestess arrives at the temple—an episode most commonly chosen when this theme appears in art.

Audio description: Emilia Szymańska
Consultation: Adrian Wyka
Content consultation: Miłosz Kargol