Workshop of Bon Boullogne, Mythological Diana Landscape, 1700, Oil on Canvas

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Bon boullogne (paris, 1649 - paris, 1717), workshop of

episodes from the myth of diana

oil on canvas
84 x … Read more Bon boullogne (paris, 1649 - paris, 1717), workshop of

episodes from the myth of diana

oil on canvas
84 x 114 cm., with antique frame 100 x 132 cm.

this beautiful painting depicts a series of episodes from the myth of diana, the roman goddess of the hunt, forests, and wild animals. This exquisite painting masterfully captures a lush forest, the goddess's favorite setting, as the scene of her adventures.

the composition opens on the left with a sort of presentation of the deity, portrayed as a beautiful young girl, surrounded by her faithful nymphs, one of whom holds her quiver of arrows, and by one of her beloved hunting dogs. The "story" continues in the central section, where we see the goddess during a wild boar hunt, again with the goddess preparing to shoot a boar.

the other two scenes instead concern diana's love life, specifically with orion, a skilled hunter with whom the goddess fell in love. The scene could depict a moment of intimacy between the two, interrupted by a curious satyr, surprised and punished by orion himself with the help of a nymph. To conclude, the author wanted to depict the tragic moment in which the goddess weeps over the body of her beloved lying on the ground, killed by mistake by an arrow shot by diana herself, the result of a trap set by her jealous brother apollo, displeased by his sister's love for a mortal. Here we see diana imploring in vain aesculapius, a deity capable of resurrecting the dead, to bring back to life the young orion, who instead will be transformed by zeus into the constellation of the same name.

the painting is attributed to the workshop of the painter bon boullogne (paris, 1649 - paris, 1717), a leading exponent of french painting in the second half of the 17th century and a member of a dynasty of painters (he was the son of the painter louis boullogne, and brother of louis, geneviève, and madeleine, all of whom worked in their father's workshop) renowned for their mythological compositions.

his stay in rome, from 1670 to 1675, at the french academy, paid by louis xiv, served as an opportunity for the painter to study the great italian artists, shaping a style that, upon his return to paris, would make him highly sought-after for his highly decorative paintings, suitable, then as now, for embellishing high-class bourgeois homes.

indeed, this canvas embodies all the hallmarks of the imaginative french master, inspired by much of 17th-century italian painting, especially that of rome and bologna, and inspired by the styles of carracci and correggio, with a direct influence in particular from domenichino (recall diana's hunt in the borghese gallery). The chromatic tone of the entire composition is influenced by the light and luminous tones of reni, maratti, and albani. Boullogne revives the great tradition of early roman baroque painting on a cultural basis that also includes the influence of nicolas poussin.

the canvas is in good condition, with several restorations and a layer of surface oxidation. The photographs published here were taken using professional lighting, so the painting may appear slightly darker if not adequately illuminated.

the work is accompanied by a beautiful gold frame, antique but not contemporary.

additional information:

the work is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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