Apotheosis

[Sylph 0]

I found this magnificent piece of ort on the web. I was looking for something else for apotheosis (madness apotheosis) when I stumbled across this a few days ago. I could not stop thinking about it as to whát it is that I am seeing here. I would like to know what you people see in it. Or better yet, what you know about it, it's whereabouts, the artist, and above all.. it's meaning.

 

Things I kow about this:

It's french people on the right (seeing their uniforms) I think I see Napoleon but I'm not sure.

It's something with 'Apotheosis' I do not even know how to properly translate that to dutch, let alone explain it in English.

 

 

(Pardon me for the large layout PB doesn't want to listen to me)

[enci 0]

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson: Ossian Receives Heroes of the Republic

So its the Apotheosis of the French soldiers. Ossian is supposed author of the poems which James Macpherson claimed to have translated from ancient sources. These poems were very popular at the time of the French revolution. But why Ossian? Im not too familiar with the romantic era...

[myles 2]

Didn't see this thread at all until now sorry. My sister is an art fan, I'm not that much.

 

I'm not sure about the translation, but the original title is "L'Apothéose des Héros français morts pour la patrie pendant la guerre de la Liberté".

 

It is now in the Malmaison Museum in France ("Musée du château de Malmaison").

 

That's about all I know about it. No idea who's Ossian.

 

Edit: ps. Don't trust my French, I copy it from an art book. I might have typed it wrong.

[gial 2]

According to the dictionary, apotheosis is the elevation in stature of someone to almost godhood. I don't speak French, but Myles painting title looks to be something like:

 

"The Apotheosis of the French heroes killed in the war for liberty".

 

I take this to be a representation of their souls being accepted into the Christian heaven.

 

The central figure is undoubtedly St Peter welcoming the soldiers. The other figures are angels with music and flowers, bestowing their blessings.

[enci 0]

Yep, that’s the original title indeed, and yes it means “The Apotheosis of the French soldiers who died for their country during the war of liberty”. Interestingly, it can be found with two other titles too.

 

I don’t think that’s St Peter in the middle though. My vote still goes for Ossian. French romanticism or romanticism for that matter wasn’t known to use religious (Christian) themes. They drew inspiration from ancient and folk art instead.

 

Napoleon, who is said to have kept a volume of Ossian’s poetry in his pocket, even commissioned paintings with Ossianic themes from Gérard, Girodet and Ingres for the Malmaison Palace. This may be one of the commissioned pictures.

 

And I don’t see the religious overtone in this picture at all. It’s more “pagan”. The figure above the soldiers may be Nike. There are maybe Greek, but definitely ancient era soldiers. I’d say the female figures are not angels but nymphs or muses. Nymphs more likely.

 

The symbols of the Republic, the rooster and the eagle, are also added.

 

These are simply my guesses, except that Napoleon commissioned the pictures. Foggy memories from high scool

[gogoblender 3,070]

Sylph, you're right...it's a magnificent picture. I've never been one to really "fall" for paintings, but this is a compelling piece. They just don't paint like they used to huh

 

 

gogo

[myles 2]

To be fair, this is not a very creative piece. It is produced on demand, I mean surely its great, but you can't feel anything about the artist from pieces such as this.

 

Style maybe. Its obvious that this isn't a piece produced from the bottom of the heart. Not one of the artist best either.

[Sylph 0]

I think we just found a discussion to whether someone ordered to do something like this can put heart in it.. or not if the opposing faction is right. I think that you cán put heart into orders as these paintings. Look towards the renaissance eriod, or the romantic period (still speaking in art-terms). The way I see it, the painters are free to do whatever they wanted to, aslong as it recognisable(<wrong spelling I know). See it as sports, it doesn't matter how you score, just make sure thát you score. How about that?

 

Second I would like to thank all for the information given. It's been helpfull.

Cheerio's!

Jasper