In Jupiter and Antiope (Watteau), how is the Creation and context discussed?
The circumstances of the painting's creation are not entirely clear (see below). In the art historical literature, the assumption that the painting was created as a commission for the banker Pierre Crozat under the instruction of Watteau's teacher Charles de La Fosse around the time of the creation of the four Seasons prevails. La Fosse encouraged Watteau who had not practiced history painting hitherto to take on the work of the allegories of the Seasons, since he himself was not in the neighbourhood anymore. The Seasons seem to have been designed as oval paintings with mythological scenes intended to decorate Crozat's dining room.In parallel with this series, Watteau produced a range of other paintings, which dealt with the theme of the mythological nude in this same oval format which was at that time unusual. At first he painted a number of historical images in the classical format, following Italian and Netherlandish classics, after which he next created Jupiter and Antiope, the seasons and three further seasons in the oval format: another Autumn, Venus Disarming Amor and the Morning Toilette.
Models for the painting of Jupiter and Antiope included the paintings of the same name by Antonio da Correggio and Titian as well as the Descent from the Cross of the Dutch painter Anthony van Dyck, from which the arrangement of the satyr's arms is taken.During his preparation for the Jupiter and Antiope, at least three sketches were created by Watteau, in which he attempted to work the satyr out. These include a drawing of the satyr in kneeling position and one in the reclining pose which he finally selected. No sketches of Antiope are known, but Watteau had already produced a great number of female nudes and studies which he could draw on for this painting. Finally, an image now lost showed the whole image and was used by the engraver Anne-Claude-Philippe, Comte de Caylus as model for a copper engraving which was first published by Jules de Jullienne.
Watteau returned to the theme of the sleeping nymph in his 1719 painting The Elysian Fields, a scene of the gardens of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Here he depicted a stone copy of Antiope wearing a crown as a monument on the pedestal at the right hand side of the painting, as a kind of "living sculpture" which is typical of Watteau. This statue is placed directly above a gallantly dressed man seen only from behind (Hagestolz) who considers the scenery as part of a group of men in the foreground (Watteau also painted a similar group of people in the Rural Pleasure of 1720, in that case standing under a statue of Venus). According to Börsch-Supan, the Hagestolz represents the natural counterpoint to the lustful satyr - he observes the figure on the pedestal with particular interest.
copper engraving Titian Jupiter and Antiope Anthony van Dyck Pierre Crozat Charles de La Fosse Anne-Claude-Philippe, Comte de Caylus Antonio da Correggio Champs-Élysées Jupiter history painting satyr Antiope Paris Jules de Jullienne Hagestolz Venus