Pompeo Batoni, “Allegory of Peace and War”
Originally uploaded by Noisypond.
1776, oil on canvas
“Regarded in his maturity as Rome’s greatest living painter, perhaps even the most famous in Europe, Batoni gained such stature through numerous grand portraits and prestigious commissions for religious and historical subjects from popes, emperors, and kings. Yet he painted ‘Peace and War’ without a commission, during a rare interval of peace in Europe …
A contemporary called this picture one of the most beautiful Batoni ever made, a judgement repeated in the artist’s obituary. Batoni earned such praise by combining elements of Rococo softness and eroticism with those of the newly fashionable neoclassicism.”
This was probably my most favourite painting from the Art Institute of Chicago. It's wondrous.
3 comments:
Having been to the Art Institute scores of times over many years, I just discovered the Bartoni painting. I'm knocked out. I'd love to discuss it with someone else who loves it. Found your post via Google. xo, C.
I visited the Art Institute for the first time the other day. This was my favorite painting by far. It is so simple, yet it is saying so much. I could not stop looking at the way the female subject's eyes are represented and how they are focused perfectly on the male subject's eye.
Simply amazing.
I has been fascinated by Pompeo Batoni paintings and his personality since 1995.
My articles published on my web site winner4us.com are a proof.
See my comments about hidden connection between "Madonna and Child in Glory" and the "Allegory of Peace and War."
Enjoy!
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