Helen was a princess from Greek mythology famed for her beauty. She was abducted by Paris, a Trojan Prince, and carried off to Troy by sea. The Greeks came to rescue her and so instigated the Trojan War. In this painting we can see Helen in the centre, carried from a ship by Trojan soldiers and surrounded by her maidens who are striking dramatic poses indicating despair. Primaticcio was an Italian Mannerist artist who worked at the French Court of Fontainebleau for King Francois I. The term Mannerism comes from the Italian word ‘maniera’, meaning style or elegance. For Mannerist painters, deliberately exaggerated colour combinations, and elongated limbs were features of their style.