Antonio Allegri da Correggio, his life, his friends, and his time . fectly are the anatomical planes concealed in theexquisite torso, which rivals that of the Venus of Milo herself. Theyreveal themselves, however, as soon as the spectator looks at thepicture from a point whence he commands the whole the nude contours, relieved against the whiteness of the linenby touches of a pale golden tone, gradually display the various planesof the modelling. Above the smiling face rises a mass of golden hair,one strand of which falls upon her shoulder. This perfect beauty ofform is not so
Antonio Allegri da Correggio, his life, his friends, and his time . fectly are the anatomical planes concealed in theexquisite torso, which rivals that of the Venus of Milo herself. Theyreveal themselves, however, as soon as the spectator looks at thepicture from a point whence he commands the whole the nude contours, relieved against the whiteness of the linenby touches of a pale golden tone, gradually display the various planesof the modelling. Above the smiling face rises a mass of golden hair,one strand of which falls upon her shoulder. This perfect beauty ofform is not so satisfactorily sustained in the arms ; the right is over-muscular, and there is an exaggeration in the curve of the left, as itdetaches itself from the bust. Cupid gazes up to the cloud, from which the golden showerdescends. He seems to be adoring the god, and at the same timepersuading the Argive maiden to receive him gladly, and to account 1 An old painter converted this /. into a .S/.v/zV/c DitJjm, which was attributed toCorreggio. G. D. Sornique engraved THE •? GANYMEDE IN THE VIENNA (?.ALLER^? 319 In Correggios version, the incident is not conhncd to Led; nymphs who have been her companions in the l)ath are seenin the backgronnd, si^orting with other swans who pnrsue tliemin the water. Two tiring-women, completely dressed, appear on thebank. One, in a blue robe, leans her hands on the mound, and gazessmilingly at the scene. The other, who is dressed in red, is aboutto throw a white drapery over a nymph who emerges from thewater. The strains of music add to the pleasures of the has laid aside his (juiver to play a lyre, and two piitti infront of him are blowing rude horns, one seated on the grcjund,the other erect, in an attitude of infantine self-importance thatprovokes a smile. Even in its present state, the richness of the composition, thenumber and variety of the figures, and the beauty of the landscapemake this picture the most remarkable of Cor
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Keywords: ., bookauthorriccicor, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1896
