Granida and Daifilo

This painting was commissioned by Stadholder Frederik Hendrik for his residence at Honselaerdijk as one of a series of paintings on pastoral themes.

Granida and Daifilo were lovers from the Dutch pastoral play Granida (1605) by Pieter Hooft. Granida, the daughter of an eastern king, betrothed to Prince Tisiphernes, lost her way while out hunting. She came upon a shepherd Daifilo and his mistress Dorilea who had just quarrelled. Daifilo fetched water for the princess to drink and fell in love with her. He followed her to court and, after several turns in the story, they fled to the woods together to live a pastoral life. Daifilo was taken prisoner by one of Granida’s several suitors. They were finally reunited after the intervention of Tisiphernes who yielded his claim to her. The play set a fashion for pastoral idyll in the Netherlands and long remained popular.

In Van Honthorst’s representation the lovers are depicted in a woodland setting, with the suitor and soldiers approaching to arrest Daifilo.