Loading

Sacred and Profane Love

François DuquesnoyBefore 1631

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Lisboa, Portugal

François Du Quesnoy made a name for himself with a number of 'inventions' which largely feature young children. Staying true to the classical tendency, he opted to use a small number of figures and a single plane in his compositions, exhibiting a thorough knowledge of Antiquity. This bas-relief narrates three phases of an episode: the struggle between sacred love and profane love (climax), provoked by the stolen bow (prologue), which takes place in the presence of witnesses. A winner and a loser emerge, and the winner is appropriately rewarded (epilogue). The story was inspired by Book VI of the Imagines, by Philostratus, although Du Quesnoy added a number of details from his own imagination.
The bas-relief is the sculptural medium which best lends itself to narrative and can, furthermore, be adapted for architectural use, which explains its frequent use in the buildings of Antiquity.

Show lessRead more
  • Title: Sacred and Profane Love
  • Creator: François Du Quesnoy
  • Date created: Before 1631
  • Location created: Rome
  • Physical Dimensions: 60 x 105 cm
  • Medium: Patinated plaster, definitive/original model used for the other known replicas
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

Get the app

Explore museums and play with Art Transfer, Pocket Galleries, Art Selfie and more

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favourites