DIEGO MONROY Y AGUILERA (Baena, 1786-Córdoba, 1856) "Venus and Mars", 1824. Oil on panel.

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Córdoba: 2,000 Years of Art

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Dec 21, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-12-21 07:30:00 2021-12-21 07:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Córdoba: 2,000 Years of Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/c-rdoba-2-000-years-of-art-8049
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• Lot Description
  DIEGO MONROY Y AGUILERA (Baena, 1786-Córdoba, 1856) "Venus and Mars", 1824. Oil on panel. Presents period frame. Signed and dated on the back. Measurements: 39 x 31 cm; 53 x 47 cm (frame). In this canvas is represented, within a markedly neoclassical style, the farewell between Venus and Adonis, when the goddess warns her mortal lover. Adonis was one of the most famous lovers of Venus, goddess who took part in his birth and eventually fell in love with him. They spent all their time together, but finally Venus, worried about her neglected duties, is forced to leave him for a short time. Before leaving, she gives a warning to Adonis, a passionate hunter: not to attack any animal that does not show fear. Not long after the goddess leaves, Adonis encounters a huge boar, much larger than any he had ever seen. It is suggested that the boar is the god Mars, one of Venus' lovers jealous of her continued adoration of the mortal hunter. Although boars are dangerous and charge the hunter when provoked, Adonis disregards his lover's warning and pursues the giant creature. Soon, however, he is the one being pursued, being no match for the boar. In the attack, Adonis is castrated by the animal and bleeds to death. Venus rushes back to his side, but arrives too late to save him and can only weep over his body. Where the blood of her beloved falls, the goddess causes anemones to grow in his memory. The story of Venus and Adonis was one of the most represented classical themes since the 16th century. However, depending on the period, one or the other moment has been depicted on canvas; Titian and Rubens represent Venus trying to prevent Adonis' departure, while Veronese represents the mortal, having left his duties, asleep on the lap of the goddess of love. Other authors will represent Venus weeping before the corpse of her beloved. In this case, the neoclassicist expressive restraint determines a scene that summarizes the story avoiding excessive dramatism, and that is why this moment of the narration has been chosen. Diego Monroy y Aguilera began his academic training at the hand of his father, although he later continued his education at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, as a pensioner of the bishop of Cordoba. He then became a disciple of Maella, who commissioned several works for the school of the Deaf and Dumb in Madrid. Five years after arriving at the Academy of San Fernando, he received the title of academician, which did not arrive until 1819, due to the political situation caused by the War of Independence. In 1843 he was named knight of the Order of Caris III and a year later he was appointed director of the Provincial Museum of Cordoba.
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