“Venus wounded by Diomedes,” is a mythological painting created by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1800s and it is widely exhibited in many art museums worldwide. Jean Auguste Domique Ingres was regarded as a French neoclassical painter who devoted his life in drawing and painting fascinating portraits about prominent leaders in the society, nature and environment and female nudes. As a neoclassical painter, Jean had vast knowledge about the past and he considered himself as a painter of history and custodian of “good doctrine” in art (Fleckner, 2000). Despite him painting and drawing numerous portraits about nature, prominent rulers in Greek and French and female nudity, his legacy was not based on them, but on two portraits commonly referred as “Ingres portraits,” where one of it was drawn and the other painted. Most artists and scholars in the art discipline regard him as a precursor of modern art because of his prowess in using romantic styles coupled with animation and contour purity techniques.
Jean Auguste Domique Ingres was born in 1780 at Mountauban France. He was the first child in a family of seven members of Mr. Jean-Marie Joseph Ingres and Mrs. Anne Moulet. His father was a talented painter, decorator and a musician who excelled in artistic work. Jean Auguste received encouragement and advice from his father; a moved that increased his curiosity and interest in painting and drawing. At six years, Jean Auguste Domique Ingres attended school, but he could not continue with learning because of French Revolution War. During his lifetime, Jean travelled in various states including France, Rome, and Greece, held several leading position and won numerous awards. Jean Auguste died in 1867 in Paris after suffering from pneumonia, but maintained his faculties in art.
The painting of “Venus wounded by Diomedes,” compose of various goddesses that took part in the Trojan War. This is in accordance with Greece mythology. The painting shows goddess Diomede hurting goddess Venus using a spear, but goddesses Iris and Mars descend from Olympus so that to rescue goddess Venus and her son, Aeneas. The Portrait is painted on Wove/laid paper commonly known as “Ingres paper,” that has smooth texture (Hauptman, 2006). It has a wooden frame to enhance its visibility, attractiveness, and originality. It measures 4” to 5” inches in width and about 6” to 8” inches in height. The painting was created in 1800 and it is suited in Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum in Connecticut State in America. This is one of the oldest public Museums in United States and I had the privilege of touring the during the holiday, and I saw the portrait.
References
Fleckner, U. (2000). Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1780-1867. New York: Könemann,.
Hauptman, W. (2006). Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1780-1867. New York: 5 continents.
