"JUPITER AND ANTIOPE" SHUTTLE CUP IN GILT AND PATINA BRONZE, 19TH CENTURY

bronze shuttle-shaped cup , brown and gold, depicting a sleeping nude nymph on the lid and a satyr on the handle. This may represent the myth of Jupiter and Antiope . The front of the cup is decorated with a winged chimera with a woman's face and a serpent's body. The sides are decorated with reliefs of reclining nude women surrounded by putti. The whole rests on a pedestal adorned with a frieze of feathers.

This is a 19th-century work.

This work draws on a well-known iconography from art history, explored in painting since the 17th century. The myth of Antiope recounts that she was so beautiful that Jupiter took the form of a satyr to surprise her in her sleep. This mythological scene is, in reality, a pretext for evoking eroticism. The satyr suggests the theme of the voyeur who takes advantage of the young woman's nudity, but also reminds us that we ourselves enjoy her beauty.

19th century

Circa: 1850

Dimensions: L:32cm, W:22cm, H:31cm.

Condition report : in good condition. Wear consistent with age to the gilding.