Until very recently there was total confusion as to the origin of this painting and the circumstances surrounding its entry into the Royal Collection. Its original owner was formerly thought to have been Cassiano dal Pozzo, an erudite Italian contemporary of Nicolas Poussin whose collection did, indeed, include a work with similar characteristics. Since 2005, however, the generally accepted hypothesis is that it was one of the paintings commissioned in Rome to decorate the Buen Retiro Palace. This idea is supported by the fact that it is listed among paintings of that origin in the testament of Charles II (1701), as well as by its unusual size and format, which appear in no other painting by this artist and even caused doubts about its authorship. This was, however, a customary format among paintings for the Buen Retiro, and Poussin was the most important artist involved in that project. He was the only artist to paint works for two of its series: the History of Ancient Rome and Classical Landscapes, the latter for which he painted his well-known Landscape with Saint Jerome, c.1637 (Museo del Prado). Poussin was also responsible for contracting Jean Lemaire and Gaspard Dughet for the Buen Retiro, and he painted at least one other canvas for the Buen Retiro’s ancient Rome series. Dance in honour of Priapus, c.1637, now at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, appears listed in Spain’s Royal Collections until 1811, but its relation to the painting in the Museo del Prado, and the meaning of both, are unclear.

The story portrayed in this canvas appears in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Oeneus, king of Calydon, offended Diana, who sent a giant wild boar to his kingdom to destroy its farmland and terrify its inhabitants. The monarch’s young son, Meleager, formed a group to hunt down the beast, including such well-known figures as Jason, Peleus, and the brothers Castor and Pollux, as well as the very beautiful Atalanta, with whom Meleager fell in love. Poussin depicts the beginning of the hunt, before they enter a thick forest and Atalanta and Meleager become isolated from the group, but find and kill the boar. The young prince recognises Atalanta’s bravery and strength, and gives her the animal’s head and pelt. This honour prompts the ire of his uncles, whom he then kills. On discovering the death of her brothers, Meleager’s mother Althea plots vengeance against her own son, resulting in his death and her suicide due to the pain of losing him.

In the painting Atalanta is the figure dressed in blue, with long blonde tresses. Identifying Meleager is more difficult, however. Rather than the young man at the centre of the composition, dressed in a yellow tunic and riding a white horse, he must be the figure to the far right, slightly further back than the central figure. Meleager appears to be urging his servant to finish his work so he can depart with the rest of the group. As usual with Poussin, the classical setting, clothing, weapons and decorative elements are reasonably believable in their evocation of classical Antiquity. In the woods that fill the background stands a statue of Pan with a man’s head and torso, and a goat’s legs and horns. This god of gardens and forests probably alludes to the hunt. Diana, the goddess responsible for the tragedy, appears in the centre.

Ubeda de los Cobos, A, Nicolas Poussin 'The hunt of Atalanta and Meleager' En:. Italian masterpieces from Spain's royal court, Museo del Prado, National Gallery of Victoria Thames & Hudson, 2014, p.200