Cephalus and Procris

Oil on Canvas
18 th. C.
France

Cephalus was married to Procris, a daughter of Erechtheus, an ancient founding-figure of Athens. The goddess of dawn, Eos, fell in love with him and kidnapped Cephalus when he was hunting.

Venus and Cupid after Guido Reni, gouache around 1850

Compositions of reclining Venus have a long tradition in Western art history, symbolizing ideal beauty and love. They are part of a lineage of artistic representations which have their origins in classical Antiquity, where goddesses were often represented in a sensual and divine manner.

Two of the most famous depictions of this type are Titian’s “The Venus of Urbino” (1538) and Diego Velázquez’s “Venus in the Mirror” (c. 1647-1651).

France
circa 1850

Fishing scene

Fishing scene against the backdrop of a landscape surrounded by a frieze of rockery and crowned.
Large canvas, painted like a painted canvas.
The richness of this decoration contrasts with the subject and gives the painting its originality.

18th century.
France

Mademoiselle Mars

Fixed under glass of mademoiselle Mars actress and friend of Napoléon.
Anne-Françoise Hippolyte Boutet, known as Miss. Mars (1779-1847) was one of the glories of the French Theater.