How does this artwork elucidate its Subject?
The painting depicts a scene described in Canto 1 of James Thomson's 1748 poem The Castle of Indolence.Thus easy-rob'd, they to the fountain sped
That in the middle of the court up-threw
A stream, high spouting from its liquid bed,
And falling back again in drizzly dew;
There each deep draughts, as deep he thirsted drew;
It was a fountain of nepenthe rare;
Whence, as Dan Homer sings, huge pleasaunce grew,
And sweet oblivion of vile earthly care;
Fair gladsome waking thoughts, and joyous dreams more fair.It shows an imaginary landscape with Classical buildings and ruins centred on the fountain, around and within which human and winged Cupid-like figures are grouped.
Cupid The Castle of Indolence nepenthe Classical James Thomson