The subject of this painting comes from one of the legends told by the Roman poet Ovid in his book «Metamorphoses». Iris, the goddess of the rainbow and the messenger of the Olympian gods, accompanied by winged Cupid, descends on the clouds to the god of dreams Morpheus. Morpheus’ bed is decorated with low reliefs on the themes of song XIV in «The Iliad» by Homer. The mythological characters, spectacular theatrical composition and the conventional decorative colour scheme, based on the combination of cold greenish-blue and warm pinkish-golden tones, match perfectly the decoration of the palace interiors of the period of the First French Empire. Guerin’s canvas, typical of French Neoclassical painting, also anticipates some peculiarities of mid-19th century salon art.
Title:
Morpheus and Iris
Place:
Date:
Technique:
oil on canvas
Dimensions:
251x178 cm
Acquisition date:
Entered the Hermitage in 1925; transferred from the Yusupov Palace Museum in Leningrad; formerly in the Yusupovs' collection
Inventory Number:
ГЭ-5675
Category:
Collection:
Subcollection:
