Robert Nanteuil (c. 1623 – 1678)

John Evelyn Paris, about 1650 Engraving This engraving portrays Sir John Evelyn (1620-1706), the English writer known for his publications on culture, politics and the arts. Evelyn commissioned this portrait by Nanteuil whilst visiting Paris during the early 1650s. It is set in a simple oval and rests on an architectural plinth that is covered … Read more

Théodore Chassériau (1819 – 1856)

Apollo and Daphne Paris, 1844 Lithograph Paper: 320 x 245 mm; mount: 555 x 405 mm According to Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Daphne turned into a laurel tree to escape the clutches of the besotted god Apollo. Although Chassériau emphasises the intense emotion of the subject, he shows Daphne, despite her evident anxiety, as very much an … Read more

Giulio Bonasone (c. 1498 – c. 1580)

The chastising of Cupid Bologna, 1563 Engraving Plate: 226 x 357 mm; mount: 405 x 556 mm Occasionally, mythological Gods got their comeuppance for their misbehaviour. Cupid’s arrows had the power to change the amorous feelings on the unsuspecting: leaden ones fostered indifference, whilst golden arrows inflamed love. Here, Cupid is tied to a tree … Read more