18th Century Love

a-l-ancien-regime:

Jean François de TROY (1679 - 1752) Diana and Actaeon
The theme of Diana and Actaeon has been treated several times by Jean Francois de Troy. The table now preserved in Basel seems to be the largest and richest in figures .
Diana is bathing with five voluptuous nymphs in a cave in diaphanous light, Actaeon, dimly lighted, arises from the left ; two dogs complete the composition.
The subject is taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Book III to 177-181, 189-193): Actaeon, grand-son of Apollo by his father and great grand-son of Mars by his mother was raised by the centaur Chiron who taught him the art of hunting.
One day, during a hunt, he got lost and surprised that Diana was bathing nude in a source. Furious, the goddess transformed him into a stag and was eaten by his fifty hounds.
The dogs sought in vain their master and filled the woods with their cries. Their search led them into the cave of the centaur Chiron; to comfort them Chiron fashioned a statue in the image of Actaeon.

Jean François de TROY (1679 - 1752) Diana and Actaeon

The theme of Diana and Actaeon has been treated several times by Jean Francois de Troy. The table now preserved in Basel seems to be the largest and richest in figures .

Diana is bathing with five voluptuous nymphs in a cave in diaphanous light, Actaeon, dimly lighted, arises from the left ; two dogs complete the composition.

The subject is taken from Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Book III to 177-181, 189-193): Actaeon, grand-son of Apollo by his father and great grand-son of Mars by his mother was raised by the centaur Chiron who taught him the art of hunting.

One day, during a hunt, he got lost and surprised that Diana was bathing nude in a source. Furious, the goddess transformed him into a stag and was eaten by his fifty hounds.

The dogs sought in vain their master and filled the woods with their cries. Their search led them into the cave of the centaur Chiron; to comfort them Chiron fashioned a statue in the image of Actaeon.

a-l-ancien-regime:

‘The Garter’ (1724)

Jean-François de Troy (1679-1752)

a-l-ancien-regime:

An Allegory of Time Unveiling Truth - Jean-francois De Troy (1733)

The winged figure of Time, holding a scythe in the sky, reveals Truth, his daughter, who unmasks an old woman personifying Fraud. The four Cardinal Virtues kneel in tribute at Truth’s feet. Fortitude rests by a lion which symbolises her courage, while Justice carries a sword and scales which refer to her power and impartiality. Further back Temperance carries a pitcher of water which signifies abstinence, and Prudence carries a snake, an allusion to her wisdom. In the top right-hand corner is a building which recalls the Pantheon in Rome.