French school; middle of the XVIII century. "The Rape of Proserpina". Oil on canvas. Relined.

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OLD MASTERS

By Setdart Auction House

Nov 3, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-11-03 08:00:00 2021-11-03 08:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7786
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• Lot Description
  French school; middle of the XVIII century. "The Rape of Proserpina". Oil on canvas. Relined. Presents period frame. Measurements: 51 x 68.5 cm; 64.54 x 82 cm (frame). In this work a mythological scene is developed, in spite of the smallness of the figures with respect to the landscape, the great dynamism of the same ones in their attitudes and expressions is appreciated. In the center a man with a crown (Hades), holds a young woman, also crowned, in his arms. The woman opens her arms and seems to cry out, asking for help. Other characters seem to try to rescue her, while others cover their faces and run away terrified. It is interesting to mention the artist's knowledge of classical mythology, a trait that is reflected not only in the conjunction of the chosen characters, but also in nature, as he portrays the volcano and Lake Pergusa, both in Sicily, the place where this mythological narrative is set. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the play differs in a certain way from the text, since in it it is said that the horses of Hades' chariot are black, while here they are white. The play stages an issue of classical mythology. Hades, god of the underworld, in love with the beauty of Proserpina or Persephone, abducted her and took her to his domain. The disappearance of the young girl would cause the despair of her mother, to the point of abandoning Olympus, leaving her functions, among which were the growth and maturation of vegetation, the protection of the natural life of the earth. Seeing the world wither and humanity succumb to hunger, Zeus himself had to intervene, who managed to get Hades to return the girl half the year, while the rest of the time the girl would live in the underworld, as the wife of the god, corresponding, in theory, this distribution, with the seasons. The moment represented is the one in which the god snatches the girl, to the despair of the girls who accompanied her.
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