Greek myth was popular among French Neoclassical painters,
particularly obscure scenes like this one, which allowed the
artist to invent an entirely new image This drawing represents a
scene from Homer's Iliad, when the messenger goddess Iris was
sent by Zeus to warn Athena and Hera not to help the Greeks in
the war against Troy. Following their loss to Aphrodite in the
beauty contest judged by Paris of Troy, Athena and Hera sided
against the Trojans in the war. The artist depicted Hera, with
her attribute of the peacock, and Athena, dressed in her armor,
coming upon Iris just as they are rushing off to the
battlefield. This drawing may be one of several Iliad scenes
drawn by Louis Lagrenée for Louis XVI. Its high degree of finish
and monumental size suggest that it was a presentation drawing;
so perhaps Lagrenée invented a number of possible compositions
for the king to select one from and be developed into a
painting.