Wallpaper "Zeus fed by the goat amalthée", Empire period

Empire period wallpaper with mythological subject representing Zeus fed by the goat Amalthée. The painting is inspired by Ovid's Fastes in which several mythological stories are told. Here, it is the story of the son of Chronos, Zeus saved by his mother Rhea by being deposited on Mount Ida and fed by the goat of a naiad, Amalthée . The young Zeus is represented feeding on the milk of the goat enthroned majestically in the center of the painting. Around this central scene, five naiads are busy helping by feeding the goat with flowers and plants. The wallpaper is divided into four strips and is laminated on a composite wood panel and framed by a cream lacquered wood frame. This Empire wallpaper is a fine example of the vogue that this technique had in the 19th century. Indeed, the wallpaper less expensive than the painted woodwork could more easily integrate the interiors of the wealthy bourgeoisie.

The making of a wallpaper

First of all, a sketch is made either by the workshop of the factory or by an independent designer. Once the sketch has been approved by the factory, the design is passed on to the industrial designers who know how to adapt it to the specific printing method. They are the ones who establish the color scheme, break down the design according to it and execute the engraving. Finally, the motif is printed; here again, several printing techniques are possible: intaglio, woodblock, cylinder, frame, stencil, hand-painted parts...

Circa: 1810

Dim: W: 118cm, D: 7cm, H: 90cm.
Dim: W: 46,5in, D: 2,8in, H: 35,4in.

Condition report : A few small missing and retouched pieces of paper at the bottom left corner.