Pygmalion And His Statue
Pygmalion And His Statue c1777 by French Painter Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée (1725 – 1805); рококо кезеңінің суретшісі және Элизабетке сот суретшісі, Empress of Russia.
This is another eye catching and beautiful painting of the Greek Mythological tale of Pygmalion and Galatea; in which the stone sculpture created by Pygmalion is possessed with life by the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, in an response to a prayer made by him.
In this scene we see Pygmalion on his left knee, with his right arm around the back of Galatea and his left hand holding her left hand as she is transitioning from a beautiful woman of stone into a beautiful woman of flesh and blood.
By Galatea to her right and near to her leg is a cherub floating above the head of a sculpted fish which makes up part of the sculpture from which Galatea has been created, adjusting part of a robe that is affixed to her waist and between her legs.
Behind her is another cherub floating on a large white cloud that is also supporting the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite and another cherub above her; this cherub is pushing a deep wine red drape to the side and looking at the marvel that is taking place.
Pygmalion And His Statue by Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée Before and After Remastering View
Behind and to the right of Pygmalion is Aphrodite, laying down on the cloud and touch Galatea so that the sculpture can turn into a human being; and above her on the other part of the cloud is the third cherub that is holding a gold torch that is ablaze, with smoke flowing in the direction of Galatea.
All this is occurring in the sculptors studio of Pygmalion, away from prying eyes and the open courtyard that is comprised of large stone columns, stone walls, and stone beams.
In his work area we can see a wooden stool to the right of sculpture, as well as a hammer and chisel on the floor in front of the sculpture; and to the right front of the scene is a wooden bench with a red cushion top with a green cloak draped over it and on the floor that as a partially broken stone bust of the Goddess Aphrodite resting on it.
Pygmalion And His Statue is a remastered digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image that is available as canvas, acrylic wood and metal prints online.
Төменде келтірілген ақпарат Wikipedia.org
Louis was born in Paris, Францияда 1724, and was the eldest of two brothers, both destined to become noted French painters; and from an early age demonstrated an aptitude for drawing and painting.
Louis started his artistic through the École royale des élèves protégés or Royal School for Protected Pupils, which was established in 1748 under the direction of Charles Antoine Coypel (1694 – 1752) by the King of France Louis XV.
The master painters of the French Royal Academy offered artistic course to the public for a nominal fee in drawing and the principles and techniques of art; this would allow the masters to select from those who enrolled in the course, six of the most gifted individuals on an annual basis that would be offered free tuition and a small stipend for three years; and prepare the students for the Prix de Rome competitions.
After he was selected for the program, Louis began his training under the guidance of Carle van Loo (1705 – 1765); and on his first attempt in 1749 won the Prix de Rome with his Biblical painting “Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh”.
During his time at the French Academy in Rome Louis would dedicate his time to the Baroque painting style; which was inspired by the Bolognese School and the works of Italian Painters Francesco Albani (1578 – 1660) and Guido Reni (1575–1642).
Four years later he would return to France, and began work on The Abduction of Dejaneira by the Centaur Nessus; upon finishing the piece 2 years later in 1755, it earned him with a unanimous vote, membership to the Académie de Peinture and Sculpture; establishing him as a prominent painter.
From this time on Louis would receive many commissions from eminent patrons, members of the growing financial community, as well as royalty; when he caught the attention of Elizabeth Petrovna, Empress of Russia, who, жылы 1760, appointed him court painter and the director of the Academy at St. Petersburg.
