Follow the tour guide! Italian paintings

Jacopo Bassano lived in Venice, Italy in the 16th century. At that time, the painters of Venice invented a new approach to painting, which depicted the feelings and emotions of their subjects.

This painting relates the story of Susanna and the Elders from the Bible. Two elderly men observe Susanna while she is in the bath. Finding her very beautiful, they want to kiss her by force. She refuses. Upset, the elderly men accuse her of having cheated on her husband. 

Thankfully, the young prophet, Daniel, proved Susanna's innocence and had the elders condemned. Here, Susanna is scared and backs up.  The two threatening elderly men are leaning over towards her, and one of them is partly hidden in the shadows.

This painting is signed in the lower right corner: Jordanus Fecit. It was painted in the Baroque style favored by the painter. The artist dealt with this theme on several occasions, but this is his most ambitious composition on the subject.

This mythological scene depicts the abduction of Deianira, the wife of Hercules, by the centaur Nessus. He is ferrying the mythical couple who want to cross the river. Deianira rides on his back and is abused. She calls for help, and Hercules shoots a deadly arrow.

Before dying, Nessus gave a potion to Deianira that would later cause the death of the demigod Hercules. Out of grief, she committed suicide. The mask worn by the cherub alludes to the centaur's hidden intentions.

The painting dates from the artist's stay in Venice, between 1674 and 1681. It still keeps some traces of the painter's French period. Bellotti worked for Cardinal Mazzarino, Louis XIV's chief minister, for some time and showed great interest in the work of Georges de la Tour, whom he copied on several occasions.

This picture is striking. It is halfway between a portrait and a religious painting. The figure is treated realistically, but is, at the same time, reminiscent of a Mary Magdalene. The rosary resting on the skull suggests this hypothesis. 

MNR 312 (National Museum Recuperation): Work recovered at the end of World War II, deposited on December 12, 1953 by the Musée du Louvre. Unknown provenance. In case of spoilation, the work will be returned to its rightful owners.

Panini was famous for his trompe l'oeil and his capricci, which are paintings where various monuments and ancient ruins combine in an imaginary way.  He taught perspective at the French Academy in Rome, where he influenced young artists such as Hubert Robert.