Within the large series of paintings dedicated to the history of Rome, this work and Meleager’s Hunt (P2320) belong to a small group of scenes from mythology and the history of Antiquity. This is undoubtedly the most mysterious group in the series -so much so, that the subject matter of some of its paintings has yet to be identified today. Moreover, neither the significance of this group as a whole, nor its relation to the rest of the series is clear.

This is one of the most mysterious works at the Museo del Prado. It has traditionally been attributed to the nonexistent French artist Andreas Leudel (Andrés Leudel, Andrés Lendeli, Andreas Landel), whose name, or something similar, does actually appear on the tray carried by the figure at the extreme lower left of the composition. Since the museum was founded, this work as been described as The Story of the Great Sinovia, Deceased and Imprisoned; Masinissa Mourning Over the Death of Sophonisba or simply Obscure Historical Event. In fact, it must be the painting listed in the 1701 inventory as [no. 279] Another [painting] of the same size and frame, originally by Pablo fenollo With the Story of the queen dido deceased and imprisoned valued at One hundred Doubloons (Charles II’s will). The same occurred with its phantom author, who slowly developed a personality in a variety of publications. His supposed surname -Leudel- convinced those charged with the task of cataloging this work that he was a French artist, and he was assigned a sketchy biography that located his professional activity in the late 17th century.

In recent decades, efforts have been made to establish the existence of a series of paintings related to the History of Rome -including the present work- that Philip IV’s representatives would have commissioned in that city and in Naples around 1634 for the Buen Retiro Palace. Today, twenty-eight extant works can be related to this project (most in the Museo del Prado or Patrimonio Nacional), along with another six mentioned in Charles II’s will but now lost or destroyed. This total of thirty-four paintings constitutes the largest group from the Retiro, including the Hall of Realms. The only larger group consists of mythological scenes that the king’s brother, Cardinal-Infante don Fernando, commissioned Rubens to paint for the Torre de la Parada. The size of the Roman group is the first indication of its importance in the new palace (Text drawn from Úbeda de los Cobos, A. in: El Palacio del Rey Planeta. Felipe IV y el Buen Retiro, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2005, pp. 169-170; 180-182).