Bon Boullogne (Parigi, 1649 - 1717), bottega

Bon Boullogne (Paris, 1649 - Paris, 1717), workshop of Episodes of the Myth of Diana oil on canvas 84 x 114 cm., with antique frame 100 x 132 cm. All details regarding this painting can be viewed at the following - link - The beautiful painting offered shows a series of episodes taken from the myth of the deity Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, woods, and wild animals, masterfully captured in this fine painting, which shows a lush forest, the deity's favorite place, as the setting for her adventures. The composition opens, on the left, with a kind of presentation of the deity, portrayed as an attractive young maiden, surrounded by her faithful Nymphs, one of whom carries her quiver of arrows, and one of her beloved hunting dogs. The 'story' continues in the central part where we can see the deity during a wild boar hunt, always with the goddess preparing to shoot a trace against a boar. The other two scenes instead concern the love life of Diana, in particular with Orion, a valiant hunter with whom the deity fell in love. The scene could represent a moment of intimacy between the two, interrupted by a curious satyr, surprised and punished by Orion himself with the help of a nymph. To conclude, the author wanted to represent the tragic moment in which the goddess weeps over the body of her beloved lying on the ground, mistakenly killed by an arrow shot by Diana herself, the result of the trap set by her jealous brother Apollo, angered by the love that his sister felt for a mortal. Here we see Diana imploring Aesculapius in vain, a deity capable of resurrecting the dead, to bring young Orion back to life, who instead will be transformed by Zeus into the constellation of the same name. The painting is to be attributed to the workshop of the painter Bon Boullogne (Paris, 1649 - Paris, 1717), an exemplary exponent of French painting of the second half of the seventeenth century and part of a dynasty of painters (he was the son of the painter Louis Boullogne, and brother of Louis, Geneviève and Madeleine, all active in the paternal workshop) famous for their mythological compositions. His stay in Rome, from 1670 to 1675, at the French Academy paid by Louis XIV, served the painter to study the great Italian authors, shaping a style that upon his return to Paris would make him extremely sought after with his painting of great decorum, suitable, then as now, to embellish bourgeois residences of a high level. In the canvas in question, in fact, all the typical components of the extravagant French master are found, elaborated starting from a large part of the Italian painting of the 17th century, especially Roman and Bolognese, looking at the ways of the Carracci and Correggio, with a direct ancestry in particular from Domenichino (remember the hunt of Diana in the Borghese Gallery), while the chromatic stamp of the entire composition is affected by the clear and luminous tones of Reni, Maratti and Albani. The great tradition of early Roman Baroque painting is revived by Boullogne on a cultural basis that does not even overlook the influence of Nicolas Poussin. The canvas is in a good state of conservation with the presence of several restoration points and a layer of superficial oxidation. The published photographs were taken using a professional light so it is possible that the painting may appear slightly darker if not adequately lit. The work is accompanied by a beautiful gold frame, antique but not coeval. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery of Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any additional information. Follow us also on : https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/