Zetes and Calais(Sebastiano Ricci)
The subject derives from Apollonius of Rhodes in his book The Argonauts, Book II, lines 178 ff. The old king Phineas of Thynia was punished by Zeus with blindness, and the visitations of the Harpies who snatched away his food as soon as it was laid out for him, and muted on the rest. As a prophet, King Phineas knew that he could be delivered only by the sons of the North Wind (to whom he was related by marriage). Among the crew of the Argo which had landed in his territory were Zetes and Calais, sons of the North Wind. They agreed to fly off after the Harpies who, being immortal, they could not be hurt by the swords of the brothers. At least they were chased away, and the gods assured Zetes and Calais that the Harpies would not be allowed to plague King Phineas any more.
Dr. Jennifer Montague believes that the story has very few depictions apart from Medieval cycles, but she has discovered another picture so close to the Ricci that she believes the artist may have know it. It is a print by A. van Diepenbeeck from Marolles Tableaux du Temple des Muses of 1655 (re-edited 1768). Although a popular theme in France, Dr. Montague is surprised that it would have an influence on upon Italian artists, although she does point out that it was in most French painters’s libraries and thus accessible.