Jupiter in the Guise of Diana, and the Nymph Callisto
Jupiter in the Guise of Diana, and the Nymph Callisto c1759 by French Painter François Boucher (1703 – 1770); also known as a draftsman, engraver and decorator in the French Rococo style, that was well known for his lavish mythological, allegorical and erotic motifs and was the court painter of Louis XV and a favorite of the Marquise de Pompadour.
This is a beautiful scene depicting the characters from Roman mythology Jupiter (The Eagle), Diana (Goddess of the Hunt), and Callisto the favorite Nymph of Diana.
In this forest scene we can see six figures, two cherubs in a tree with a large rose drape hanging from one of its outstretched limbs, near the eagle Jupiter looking down on what appears to be Diana and her Nymph Callisto, with one holding an arrow in his left hand; with another on the ground by the pond that Diana and her Nymph Callisto are laying near with an arrow in its left hand and a quiver filled with arrows by its right side.
Jupiter, the King of the Gods taken by the beauty of Callisto, disguises himself as the huntress Diana to seduce her; embracing her while they relax by the pond on a cushion of leaves, a blue garment and leopard skin.
By the couple is a boulder that has on it a brown bird resting on the chest of light colored bird that has had its throat cut, with blood staining the rock.
Behind the birds is a red quiver filled with arrows and a bow and another wrapped up grey colored garment, that rest just under the pink drape and the eagle Jupiter.
In the background is a colorful forest of many different hues and a light blue sky filled with many colored clouds, that seems to be illuminated by a setting sun.
Jupiter in the Guise of Diana, and the Nymph Callisto is a remastered digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image that is available as a canvas print online.
Info Below Derived From Wikipedia.org
A native of Paris, Boucher was the son of a lesser known painter Nicolas Boucher, who gave him his first artistic training. At the age of seventeen, a painting by Boucher was admired by the painter François Lemoyne. Lemoyne later appointed Boucher as his apprentice, but after only three months, he went to work for the engraver Jean-François Cars.
In 1720, he won the elite Grand Prix de Rome for painting, but did not take up the consequential opportunity to study in Italy until five years later, due to financial problems at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture.[1] On his return from studying in Italy he was admitted to the refounded Académie de peinture et de sculpture on 24 November 1731. His morceau de réception (reception piece) was his Rinaldo and Armida of 1734.
Boucher married Marie-Jeanne Buzeau in 1733. The couple had three children together. Boucher became a faculty member in 1734 and his career accelerated from this point as he was promoted Professor then Rector of the Academy, becoming inspector at the Royal Gobelins Manufactory and finally Premier Peintre du Roi (First Painter of the King) in 1765. Portrait of Marie-Louise O’Murphy c. 1752
Boucher died on 30 May 1770 in his native Paris. His name, along with that of his patron Madame de Pompadour, had become synonymous with the French Rococo style, leading the Goncourt brothers to write: “Boucher is one of those men who represent the taste of a century, who express, personify and embody it.”
Boucher is famous for saying that nature is “trop verte et mal éclairée” (too green and badly lit).
Boucher was associated with the gemstone engraver Jacques Guay, whom he taught to draw. He also mentored the Moravian-Austrian painter Martin Ferdinand Quadal as well as the neoclassical painter Jacques-Louis David in 1767.[4] Later, Boucher made a series of drawings of works by Guay which Madame de Pompadour then engraved and distributed as a handsomely bound volume to favored courtiers
