Lot 84
** A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this artwork will be donated to the Anthony Quinn Foundation, whose mission is to advocate for the important role arts education plays in personal development and in the overall improvement of social, economic and cultural systems. Learn more at aqfoundation.org **
Western Europe, probably Italy, ca. 17th century CE. A beautiful reverse glass painting of a lascivious satyr sneaking up upon a sleeping nymph. In a pose reminiscent of the Classical sculpture of "Sleeping Ariadne," the nude beauty lounges on a red blanket with her head on a pillow as she rests one arm above her head and the other hand on her sex. A bearded satyr edges toward her with hands together, plotting how he will awake the snoozing youth. Sleeping nymphs and their tormentors - be it satyrs, gods, or men - were a popular motif in Classical visual arts and literature, i.e., the Sleeping Nymph sculptures of Galleria Borghese and the Vatican Museums and the Roman wall paintings of Pompeii. This theme continued throughout the Renaissance, as seen in the sleeping nymph statues of elite Italian gardens like that of Angelo Colocci, Francesco Colonna's "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili," and Bellini and Titian's painting, "Feast of the Gods." Size (painting): 7.5" W x 5.7" H (19 cm x 14.5 cm); (frame): 12.8" W x 9.8" H (32.5 cm x 24.9 cm)
A lustrous copper border surrounds this example, followed by a modern, gilt wood frame.
Reverse glass painting, also known as "verre eglomise" in French or "Hinterglasmalerei" in German, is a centuries-old practice of painting a piece of glass and then viewing it from the other side. This causes the artist to have to think in reverse and start with the details of the painting before adding larger blocks of color. The practice has been widely used for sacral paintings since the Medieval period. Most famous for the reverse glass paintings of the Byzantine Empire, the practice then spread to Venice, where it influenced Renaissance art, and became favored by the Church and nobility throughout Central Europe. It continued as a widely popular folk art through the 19th century.
Provenance: ex-private collection of actor Anthony Quinn and his wife Katherine, Bristol, Rhode Island, USA acquired prior to 2000
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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#169238
- Condition: Some losses to paint on peripheries, sky, and posterior of satyr. Some expected nicks. Otherwise, very nice with great pigments. Fit with modern gilt wooden frame. Chipping to some risen details of frame.
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