Narcisse Virgile DIAZ DE LA PEÑA (1807–1876) - Lot 179

Lot n° 179
Go to lot
Estimation :
6000 - 8000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 8 960EUR
Narcisse Virgile DIAZ DE LA PEÑA (1807–1876) - Lot 179
Narcisse Virgile DIAZ DE LA PEÑA (1807–1876) The Bacchantes Oil on canvas 82 x 115 cm With frame (damaged): 111 x 145 cm (re-stretched) This work will be included in the supplement to the Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings of N. V. Diaz de la Peña, currently being prepared by Rolande Miquel and Michael T. Klaa. Note from the expert, Michael T. Klaa: Throughout the 19th century, the Bacchantes triumphed in opera and theater, inspiring writers, sculptors, and painters. “In sumptuous mansions, their image smiles down from painted ceilings; wreaths of vine leaves shade their beautiful foreheads…” (Preface to *Modèles d’Artistes*, Ferdinand Bac). Diaz created large-scale murals to adorn the homes of wealthy clients, including those of Salomon and James de Rothschild, owner of the prestigious Domaine Château Lafite vineyard. The frame bears the brand mark “Momper à Paris.” The latter, who was based at 11 rue des Marais St. Germain (now rue Visconti in Paris’s 6th arrondissement), was a “restorer and re-liner for the imperial museums,” which suggests that he was responsible for removing this work and re-lining it. The pyramidal composition is reminiscent of the painting *Dolce Farniente*, which was saved from the fire at the Tuileries Palace. Diaz chose to depict the end of a bacchanal. This work exudes a sensuality that is certainly exuberant but, to borrow the words of P. and R. Miquel, elegant (Diaz monograph, p. 65). In a fantastical setting, the Bacchantes have gathered against a tree with an imposing trunk; in doing so, Diaz reminds us that the god was previously worshipped in the form of a tree. At that time, he was the god of fertility and vegetation. A tympana, a Basque drum resting on the ground, indicates that the music has fallen silent (despite its name, it has no connection to the Basque Country). The dancing, the wine, and the mania—a sensual trance induced by the god—have lulled several Bacchantes/Maenads to sleep. One of them lies on the ground strewn with bunches of grapes (foreground on the left). Under her arm lies a thyrsus. This long staff, often topped with a pine cone, is the attribute of the god and the Bacchantes/Maenads. It can cause honey or water to gush forth when struck against the ground. It contributes to the soundscape by its pounding against the rocks. It is also a formidable weapon. Another woman, her body arched and her genitals exposed (the second figure from the right), holds an offering ewer. To her left, her counterpart, at the height of her mania, is on the verge of fainting. On the right, a winged putto stands slightly set back from the group. According to ancient pagan Dionysian cults, putti inhabited the paradise of Dionysus. oil on canvas, 32.2 x 45.2 in, with frame: 43.7 x 57 in
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue