Bon Boullogne (Paris, 1649 - Paris, 1717), workshop of Episodes from the myth of Diana oil on canvas 84 x 114 cm., with antique frame 100 x 132 cm. All the details relating to this painting can be viewed at the following - link - The beautiful painting proposed shows a series of episodes taken from the myth of the goddess Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, forests, and wild animals, masterfully reproduced in this fine painting, which shows a lush forest, the goddess's favorite place, as the setting for her adventures. The composition opens, on the left, with a sort of presentation of the goddess, portrayed as an attractive young maiden, surrounded by her faithful Nymphs, one of whom supports her quiver with arrows, and by one of her beloved hunting dogs. The ‘story’ continues in the central part where we can see the goddess during a wild boar hunt, always with the goddess preparing to shoot a trace against a boar. The other two scenes instead concern Diana's love life, in particular with Orion, a valiant hunter with whom the goddess fell in love. The scene could represent a moment of intimacy between the two, interrupted by a curious satyr, surprised and punished by Orion himself with the help of a nymph. To conclude, the author wanted to represent the tragic moment in which the goddess weeps over the body of her beloved lying on the ground, killed by mistake by an arrow shot by Diana herself, the result of the trap hatched by her jealous brother Apollo, opposed to the love that his sister felt for a mortal. Here we see Diana begging Asclepius in vain, a divinity capable of resurrecting the dead, to bring the young Orion back to life, who will instead be transformed by Zeus into the constellation of the same name. The painting is to be attributed to the workshop of the painter Bon Boullogne (Paris, 1649 - Paris, 1717), an exemplary exponent of French painting of the late 17th century and a member of a dynasty of painters (he was the son of the painter Louis Boullogne, and brother of Louis, Geneviève and Madeleine, all active in the paternal workshop) famous for their mythological compositions. His stay in Rome, from 1670 to 1675, at the French Academy paid for by Louis XIV, served the painter to study the great Italian authors, shaping a style that upon his return to Paris would make him extremely sought after with his painting of great decorum, suitable, then as now, to embellish high-level bourgeois homes. In fact, the canvas in question contains all the typical components of the whimsical French master, elaborated from a large part of 17th-century Italian painting, especially Roman and Bolognese, looking at the styles of the Carracci and Correggio, with a direct ancestry in particular from Domenichino (remember the Diana hunt of the Borghese Gallery), while the chromatic tone of the entire composition is influenced by the clear and luminous tones of Reni, Maratti and Albani. The great tradition of early Roman Baroque painting is revived by Boullogne on a cultural basis that does not even overlook the influence of Nicolas Poussin. The canvas is in a good state of conservation with the presence of several restoration points and a layer of surface oxidation. The published photographs were taken using a professional light, so it is possible that the painting may appear slightly darker if not adequately lit. The work is accompanied by a beautiful gold frame, antique but not coeval. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work is sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card. We take care of and organize the transport of purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers. It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works. Contact us, without obligation, for any additional information. Follow us also on: https://www.instagram.com/galleriacastelbarco/?hl=it https://www.facebook.com/galleriacastelbarco/