Core Record |
||
| Title | A Classical Capriccio | |
| Collection | National Trust for Scotland (Brodie Castle) | |
| Artist | Attributed to circle of Clérisseau, Charles Louis (French architect, painter, and archaeologist, 1722-1820) Attributed to manner of Italian (Roman) School Previously attributed to Coello, Claudio (Spanish painter, 1642-1693) |
|
| Date Earliest | possibly 1740 | |
| Date Latest | possibly 1760 | |
| Description | This painting may represent Diana and her Nymphs Surprised by Actaeon as the male figure who observes the female bathers has two hunting-dogs with him. Whilst hunting, Actaeon surprised Diana and her nymphs bathing. In revenge, Diana turned Actaeon into a stag and he was devoured by his own hounds. Paintings of this subject usually show Actaeon having started to grow antlers. Here, the male figure puts his right hand up to his head whilst his hunting-dogs look up at him excitedly; that on the left looks ready to pounce. | |
| Current Accession Number | 73.65 | |
| Subject | mythology (Diana and Actaeon) | |
| Measurements | 28.0 x 21.5 cm cm (estimate) | |
| Material | oil on canvas | |
| Acquisition Details | Given by Ninian, 25th Brodie of Brodie, 1980 | |
| Provenance | Possibly with William, 22nd Brodie of Brodie by about 1824; by descent to Ninian, 25th Brodie of Brodie. | |
| Notes | Clérisseau, a seminal figure in neoclassical architecture and design, was known for his drawings in the vedute tradition, showing artistic arrangements of ancient ruins. He is known to have painted this subject in gouache (1752, location unknown). Although this is a different composition, it may account for the attribution because, in fact, no oil paintings by Clérisseau have been firmly identified (McCormick, J., Charles-Louis Clérisseau and the Genesis of Neo-Classicism, New York, 1990, p. 228). Although his drawings were influenced by the architectural vedute paintings of Pannini whilst in Rome, there is no evidence to suggest that Clérisseau himself worked in oils. Oils which have been attributed to Clérisseau have also been attributed to artists such as Panini, Ghisolfi, Hubert Robert, Piranesi and Servandoni. Arisi suggests that Panini and Clérisseau collaborated on paintings between 1749 and 54 (Arisi, F., Gian Paolo Panini, Piacenza, 1961, pp. 76, 294). However, although numerous oil paintings are attributed to Clérisseau, McCormick questions them all because there is no evidence to suggest that he ever painted in oils. The Capriccio with Classical Ruins (Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester) has a convincing inscription on the verso. However, McCormick finds that it lacks any relation to Clérisseau's drawings (McCormick, J., Charles-Louis Clérisseau and the Genesis of Neo-Classicism, New York,1990, p. 228). | |
| Rights Owner | National Trust for Scotland | |
| Author | Dr Claudia Heide | |