Venetian school, ca. 1730

Venetian school, ca. 1730.
"Mythological scene.
Oil on canvas.
Restored.
Size: 98 x 122 cm; 115 x 140 cm (frame).
In this work the author presents us a scene with a marked theatrical character, which can be deduced from the attitudes adopted by the characters, whose poses are stereotyped, representing archetypes coinciding with mythological characters. The work, which takes place in a profuse landscape that opens out on the left to a cloudless sky, depicts a scene of great intensity. A richly dressed woman tries to murder a man who is lying asleep. On the right of the canvas, two nude figures can be seen bathing in a lake while observing the scene. It is important to note the presence of these figures within the composition, as they may represent the protagonists of the scene at an earlier moment in history, thus creating a narrative pictorial composition, which was a common device used in both mythological and historical paintings. This work reflects the aesthetic of the Italian Baroque classicist landscape tradition, initiated by Annibale Carracci and characterised by a rational idealisation of nature, always based on the canons of classicism, which dictate ordered, harmonious and clear compositions that combine the naturalism of the representation with rigorous compositional structure. Thus, we see a clear landscape, open in depth, a way of composing the landscape already initiated by Carracci. However, in this work the artist's composition differs from the classicism mentioned above, as he introduces a vaporous atmosphere similar to those developed by the Venetian school. Finally, the figures are also heirs to the classical Italian Baroque landscape, small and integrated into the landscape, without detracting from the representation of nature. Formally, it is in keeping with academicism, and therefore follows classical rules, the first of which is its high technical quality. Thus, the drawing is rigorous and firm, although a taste for sumptuousness, typical of the Venetian school, can be appreciated in the conception. Academicism is a direct legacy of classicism, hence the predilection for themes such as the one presented here, taken from mythology, although captured from a sensual and decorative point of view far removed from the solemnity of ancient classical art. This also explains his approach to the subject, recreating the mythological figures in a completely new way. Nevertheless, we can appreciate an ideal of beauty that is not based on reality, although the painter's study of nature is undeniable, but rather an idealism based on reality through his sum of experience, that is to say, an aesthetic sublimation that reflects a beauty that transcends reality.