Mythological Subjects. 242. Phaëton demanding of Apollo permission to conduct the Chariot of the Sun. In illustrating this allegory, the artist has learnedly combined with it various symbolical personifications, which form the episode of the subject. Apollo, clothed in a yellow vesture, is represented sitting on clouds, resting his left hand on a lyre, listening to the ambitious request of his son, who is kneeling before him with his back to the spectator, and pointing his left hand to the object of his desire, the chariot of the sun, seen some distance off on the right, and to which the Hours (personified by nymphs with wings) are attaching the fiery coursers. A broad belt surrounds the deity, on which are figured the signs of the zodiac, in allusion to the months. The four seasons are characterised by two male and two female figures: one of the latter, of singular beauty, denoting Spring, stands on the right of Apollo, scattering flowers on the earth, which infants are striving to catch as they fall. The other female, denoting Summer, sits by Phaeton, holding a mirror in her hand, the emblem of prudent forecast; and near her lie sheaves of corn. The value and importance of this quarter is indicated by the appearance of Time, who is passing rapidly by her. Autumn is represented under the figure of an athletic man, recumbent asleep on the left of the foreground, having plentifully enjoyed the fruits of the season, intimated by his attitude, and the horn of abundance which lies by his side. The fourth and last quarter, Winter, is denoted by an old man sitting on the right, bending his aged body forward and folding his arms over his breast, shrinking and shivering; a vase of burning embers stands near him, and a few sticks lie by his side. This excellent picture was painted in the zenith of the artist's powers. Engraved by Parelle and also by Fantitti. 4 ft. by 5 ft.-C. Worth 1000 gs. Removed from the Sans Souci, and now in the Public Museum at Berlin. Mythological Subjects. 243. The Triumph of Flora. The honours paid by the Greeks, and afterwards by the Romans, to the goddess of flowers and gardens, were of too important and extraordinary a character to be overlooked by so great an admirer of ancient rites as Poussin. The picture here described exhibits the goddess seated in a splendid car drawn by two winged boys, accompanied by a numerous train of nymphs, youths, and cupids, most of whom have flowers either in baskets or in their hands; her attention is directed to Mars, who stands at the side of her car, acknowledging her sovereignty as she passes. Among her attendants may be noticed a youth performing antics in advance of him two nymphs dancing, and scattering flowers, which others are gathering; and above are two cupids, one of whom is placing a chaplet on her head. Close to the front are a fine formed man naked and recumbent on some drapery, and a female reclining on his lap. Of this once excellent picture, little of its original beauty remains; the brown ground on which it was painted having destroyed all the delicate tints, and made others so obscure as to be nearly black. Engraved by Audran, and in the Musée by Niquet and Fessard. 4 ft. 6 in. by 7 ft. 2 in.—C. Valued by the Experts du Musée, Now in the Louvre. 1816. 60,000 fs. 24007. 244. Naïades at the Bath. This picture is composed of five beautiful females grouped in the foreground of a woody landscape; two of the nearest are sitting on either side of the rivulet, and one of these has a mantle over her head, which hangs down and conceals her body: a third nymph is ascending the bank; a fourth, standing beyond her, is reaching for her raiment; and the remaining one is partly concealed by a tree. This picture was painted for the Maréchal de Criquey. Engraved by Jeaurat. Mythological Subjects. 245. Narcissus and Echo. The subject is introduced in the precincts of a beautiful grove, through which passes a winding rivulet; here are seen the two unfortunate lovers. Narcissus sits naked in the centre of the foreground, pining over his own reflection in the stream, and Echo stands a little retired on his left, fondly gazing on him. A number of cupids are playing in the groves; one of them is pulling the nymph by the skirt of her mantle towards the youth, and another, flying in the air, is discharging an arrow at her: opposite sits a naiade on the bank of the rivulet, and beyond her is a river god lying asleep on a vase. Engraved by J. de Frey. 2 ft. 7 in. by 3 ft. 6 in.-C. Now in the Public Gallery at Dresden. 246. Narcissus and Echo. The scene here exhibits a wild and rocky country, on the foreground of which lies extended the exhausted Narcissus by the fatal stream, whose lucid surface has beguiled him. The lovely nymph, Echo, is seen at a little distance, reclining pensively on her hand, and sighing her life away among the rocks. Cupid stands. listlessly in the centre, with a blazing torch in his hand; a spear and a horn lie against a bank by his side. Engraved by Audran and Dambrun. 2 ft. 3 in. by 3 ft.-C. Valued by the Experts du Musée, 1816. . 10,000 fs. 4007. Now in the Louvre. 247. Nereides and Cupids sporting with Sea Monsters. The view exhibits a wide expanse of ocean, on the right of which are two beautiful nymphs sitting on the back of a dolphin, locked in each other's arms; one of them has her back to the spectator, the other is turning her head, and looking at a sea Mythological Subjects. monster, with which cupids are playing; two others are sporting with a crocodile, and the remaining couple float wantonly at the feet of the nereides. Engraved by Van Merle. 248. The Groves and Rural Streams. This subject is symbolically illustrated by four figures, one of which, a fine athletic man, reclining on a rugged bank, with his back to the spectator, and his left hand on a vase, his head adorned with foliage (intimating that he is a dryad), appears to be slowly rising from his repose. A second represents a similar figure, somewhat older, lying at the side of the bank sleeping, with his head on his hands, from under which a stream flows along the front ground; the remaining two figures consist of infants playfully holding two vases, from whence streams are issuing. The scene is composed of the boles of some large trees and a pile of jutting rocks; and the effect is that of early morning. This masterly-finished study was painted in the finest period of the artist's life. 3 ft. 1 in. by 2 ft. 1 in.-C. Bought by the Writer, of M. Solirene, at Paris, 1836. 249. Nymphs and River Deities. The subject represents three lovely females clad in ample raiment, one of whom is close to the front, bending on her knee, presenting a basket of fruit to a river god, while her companion stands by entreating him to accept it; beyond these is the third nymph gathering fruit from a tree. A little retired from the principal group are two other river deities, pouring water from urns held with their uplifted hands. In the distance is seen a satyr sitting under the trees. Engraved from a drawing by C. Bloemart. Mythological Subjects. 250. Danae. This ancient satire on the sex represents the favourite of Jupiter recumbent on a couch, naked, receiving on her lap the golden shower. Collection of M. le President de Tugny, 1751. 1880 fs. 757. 251. Cephalus and Aurora. This elegant classical allegory is here exemplified by the pencil of Poussin with the genius both of a poet and painter. Aurora, the lovely precursor of morning, who "opens with her rosy fingers the gates of the east," is seen seated on a bank on the confines of a grove, with her arms round the waist of her beloved Cephalus: this tender restraint on his departure, is seconded by a smile of ineffable sweetness beaming in her upraised countenance; but although he feels the gentle pressure, and makes no effort to escape from it, he dares not trust his eyes to behold her charms, but turns to gaze on the portrait of his absent Procris, held to his view by the young god of love; this sentiment is powerfully expressed by the bending forward of his body, and the position of his raised hand, and the portrait presented by Love is a beautiful allusion to the image of her who dwells in his heart, and has now possession of his thoughts. A second cupid is behind the nymph, unveiling her charms, so that her only covering is a white vesture round her loins. On the opposite side of the picture is a river deity reclining asleep on a streaming vase, a happy type of the gently flowing rivulets which water the earth; beyond him stands a winged white horse, styled by some writers Pegasus, attached to a car, but the latter is nearly concealed by trees; still more remote is seen a naiade recumbent on a bank, apparently just rising from her dewy couch, and beholding in the eastern hemisphere, |