DOI issue:
No. 1
DOI article:Stechow, Wolfgang: Addenda to "The Love of Antiochus with Faire Stratonica"
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17159#0016
leucus and Stratonice. The languishing air of tlie son, who is lying on a bed, is eminently beauti-
ful: the whole is well composed."20 No such work by Rubens seems to have survived or even been
mentioned by later authors; but it must be borne in mind that van Thulden's canvas was in the
famous Soder Collection as early as 1792, eleven years after Reynolds sav/ the „Rubens" in
Antwerp.
The painting by Ottmar Elliger the Younger in Darmstadt21 already seems to belong to
the early eighteenth century; it skillfully combines the pulsetaking physician with the cession
of the bride; the group of Seleucus and Stratonice and the rich decorative apparatus bespeak
the influence of de Lairesse, which also seems to be strong in a picture of 1721 by Adriaen van
der Werff, now in Bordeaux22.
Only a few of the many representations of the story from the advanced eighteenth century
can be mentioned here. Giovanni Battista Pittoni's large canvas in the Museum of Springfield,
Mass. (fig. 8)2i, is a highly successful adaptation of the basie features of Piętro da Cortona's
and Celestfs (or Belluci's) versions, this time in an upright format and with fuli Rococo para-
phernalia; while Pompeo Batoni's much more subdued painting of 1746, of wich at least two
versions seem to have existed (fig. 9), prepares the W£.y for the characteristic calm of David's
composition of 1774 , but preserves a fluency and warmth which shine even more when
compared with t"ie somew~iat dry coolness of Stefano Pozzi's version24*. It is interesting
to note that a sketch by Fragonard55, very vivid in its interpretation of the misery of
Antiochus and of the solicitude of his entourage, makes Stratonice turn from that scenę
in a gesture of commiseration and guilt which in itself is very beautiful but jeopardizes the
effectiveness of the whole scenę because of a lack of contrasting emotions. In Bernhard
Rode's drawing in the Albertina in Vienna20, the main empbasis lies upon the joining
of the three hands of a generous Seleucus, a chaste Stratonice and a deeply touched Antio-
chus — a sensitive interpretation of considerable originality.
I am able to reproduce here the original painting by Banjamin West (fig. 10^27, which was
hitherto known only through the mezzotint by Valentine Green. It is reliably reported to be
dated as early as 1772, while the print was not made before 1776 and the picture does not seem
to have been exhibited at the Royal Academy before 1775. This would indicate that West's
composition, which isvery important because of its early emphasis on Seleucus' inconsolable
grief, antedates David's famous (and very different) version by two years; in addition, a beautiful
20. TheWorksof Sir JoshuaReynolds,ed.E.Ma\one, London, 1798, II, p. 335; M. Rooses, L'oeuvre de P.P. Rubens, Antwerp,
1890, IV, p. 15; Smith n° 864.
21. Cat. 1914, n° 326, with reproduction.
22. Hofstede dc Groot, n 136.
23. See F. B. Robinson in Museum of Fine Ans Bullelin, Springfield. Mass., XXVI, Oct.-Nov., 1959; from the Collecticn of
the Princc of Schwarzhurg- Rudolfstadt. A companion piece represents the Sacrifice of Polyxena fin 1958. with the Strato-
nice, at Knoedler's in New York). Preparatory drawing for the physician in a private collectirn in Padua, recegni-
zed as such by Robinson, op. cii., reproduced in R. Palluechini, I disegni di Giambattista Pittoni, Padną, 1945,
n° 126. A painting of the subject in the Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, formcrly called ,,Dcath of Demetrius"
and attributed to Pittoni. but now given to G. Dizani (R. P. (allucchini), Arte Veneta, VI, 1952, p. 232) is a mere
variant of the painting by Celesti or Belucci in Kassel.
24. See A. M.Clark, to whom I owe the photograph, in Burlinglon Magaiine, CI, 1959, p. 236 and fig. 37. Clark
corrcctly mentions that Batoni here quoted Poussin's Death of Germanicus, now in Minneapolis, which maymfact
have influenced other Stratonice compositions as well (see also note 27).
24a. Sale at Christie's, London, May 24, 1963, n° 108, with the suggestion (difficult to accept) that it is the source
of Batoni's treatment of the subject.
25. Exhibition European Masters of the Eighteenth Century, Royal Academy, London, 1954/55, n° reproduced in
Connoisseur, CXXXV, Feb. 1955, p. 10.
26. Cat. 1933. n° 1784 („ca. 1754"), pl. 272.
27. Present whereabouts unknown to me; I owe the photograph to Mr. H. M. Calmann in London. The print by Green is re-
produced in St.,fig. 12. On the so-called West in the Museum in Worcester. Mass. (St.,fig.l3) sec now Art in America
XXXVIII, 1950, p. 215 f. — The Albertina drawing by Andrea Appiani (Cat. VI, 194, n° 490 as „Death of Germanicus",
reproduced on pl. 10) is heavily dependent on West's composition.
10
ful: the whole is well composed."20 No such work by Rubens seems to have survived or even been
mentioned by later authors; but it must be borne in mind that van Thulden's canvas was in the
famous Soder Collection as early as 1792, eleven years after Reynolds sav/ the „Rubens" in
Antwerp.
The painting by Ottmar Elliger the Younger in Darmstadt21 already seems to belong to
the early eighteenth century; it skillfully combines the pulsetaking physician with the cession
of the bride; the group of Seleucus and Stratonice and the rich decorative apparatus bespeak
the influence of de Lairesse, which also seems to be strong in a picture of 1721 by Adriaen van
der Werff, now in Bordeaux22.
Only a few of the many representations of the story from the advanced eighteenth century
can be mentioned here. Giovanni Battista Pittoni's large canvas in the Museum of Springfield,
Mass. (fig. 8)2i, is a highly successful adaptation of the basie features of Piętro da Cortona's
and Celestfs (or Belluci's) versions, this time in an upright format and with fuli Rococo para-
phernalia; while Pompeo Batoni's much more subdued painting of 1746, of wich at least two
versions seem to have existed (fig. 9), prepares the W£.y for the characteristic calm of David's
composition of 1774 , but preserves a fluency and warmth which shine even more when
compared with t"ie somew~iat dry coolness of Stefano Pozzi's version24*. It is interesting
to note that a sketch by Fragonard55, very vivid in its interpretation of the misery of
Antiochus and of the solicitude of his entourage, makes Stratonice turn from that scenę
in a gesture of commiseration and guilt which in itself is very beautiful but jeopardizes the
effectiveness of the whole scenę because of a lack of contrasting emotions. In Bernhard
Rode's drawing in the Albertina in Vienna20, the main empbasis lies upon the joining
of the three hands of a generous Seleucus, a chaste Stratonice and a deeply touched Antio-
chus — a sensitive interpretation of considerable originality.
I am able to reproduce here the original painting by Banjamin West (fig. 10^27, which was
hitherto known only through the mezzotint by Valentine Green. It is reliably reported to be
dated as early as 1772, while the print was not made before 1776 and the picture does not seem
to have been exhibited at the Royal Academy before 1775. This would indicate that West's
composition, which isvery important because of its early emphasis on Seleucus' inconsolable
grief, antedates David's famous (and very different) version by two years; in addition, a beautiful
20. TheWorksof Sir JoshuaReynolds,ed.E.Ma\one, London, 1798, II, p. 335; M. Rooses, L'oeuvre de P.P. Rubens, Antwerp,
1890, IV, p. 15; Smith n° 864.
21. Cat. 1914, n° 326, with reproduction.
22. Hofstede dc Groot, n 136.
23. See F. B. Robinson in Museum of Fine Ans Bullelin, Springfield. Mass., XXVI, Oct.-Nov., 1959; from the Collecticn of
the Princc of Schwarzhurg- Rudolfstadt. A companion piece represents the Sacrifice of Polyxena fin 1958. with the Strato-
nice, at Knoedler's in New York). Preparatory drawing for the physician in a private collectirn in Padua, recegni-
zed as such by Robinson, op. cii., reproduced in R. Palluechini, I disegni di Giambattista Pittoni, Padną, 1945,
n° 126. A painting of the subject in the Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, formcrly called ,,Dcath of Demetrius"
and attributed to Pittoni. but now given to G. Dizani (R. P. (allucchini), Arte Veneta, VI, 1952, p. 232) is a mere
variant of the painting by Celesti or Belucci in Kassel.
24. See A. M.Clark, to whom I owe the photograph, in Burlinglon Magaiine, CI, 1959, p. 236 and fig. 37. Clark
corrcctly mentions that Batoni here quoted Poussin's Death of Germanicus, now in Minneapolis, which maymfact
have influenced other Stratonice compositions as well (see also note 27).
24a. Sale at Christie's, London, May 24, 1963, n° 108, with the suggestion (difficult to accept) that it is the source
of Batoni's treatment of the subject.
25. Exhibition European Masters of the Eighteenth Century, Royal Academy, London, 1954/55, n° reproduced in
Connoisseur, CXXXV, Feb. 1955, p. 10.
26. Cat. 1933. n° 1784 („ca. 1754"), pl. 272.
27. Present whereabouts unknown to me; I owe the photograph to Mr. H. M. Calmann in London. The print by Green is re-
produced in St.,fig. 12. On the so-called West in the Museum in Worcester. Mass. (St.,fig.l3) sec now Art in America
XXXVIII, 1950, p. 215 f. — The Albertina drawing by Andrea Appiani (Cat. VI, 194, n° 490 as „Death of Germanicus",
reproduced on pl. 10) is heavily dependent on West's composition.
10