Mars, Venus and an Attendant derobing her Mistress for the Bath
William Etty RA (York 1787 – York 1849)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1839 - 1840 (exh at RA)
Materials
Oil on panel
Measurements
92 x 64 cm
Place of origin
York
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 515506
Caption
William Etty was an unusual Victorian artist in dedicating himself almost exclusively to the depiction of the nude, which he painted in a glowing and sensual manner, reminiscent of Titian and Rubens. From his faithful studies undertaken at the Academy Life School, Etty produced many mythological and religious scenes, which he constantly subjected to the requirements of ideal art. Mars, in Roman mythology, was the god of war, and Venus was the goddess of love. Mars’s love for Venus had been a popular subject with painters since the Renaissance and Etty continued to employ the theme in his work.
Summary
Oil painting on panel, Mars, Venus and Attendant derobing her Mistress for the Bath by William Etty RA (York 1787 – York 1849), 1840. A young woman, Venus, full-length, naked apart from a modesty veil, stands in the centre of a classical archway, a female attendant, naked from the waist up, half standing, on the right, holds up the gauze modesty veil; Mars is asleep, sprawled across a bed on a leopard skin behind her on the left, with his armour beside him on the far left, in front of him on the floor is a gold ewer and classical drinking vessel, to the right behind the attendant is his shield leaning against a fluted pillar. Trees and sky seen at the back, through the archway.
Provenance
Probably Samuel Mendel sale, Christie’s, 23 April 1875, lot 301; bought by Agnew, for 500 gns, (called ‘Mars & Venus Disrobing’); Charles P. Matthews sale, Christie’s, 6 June 1891, lot 30; bought by Agnew, for 150 gns.; C. F. Huth sale, Christie’s, 19 March 1904, lot 91, bought by Permain, for 190 gns.; Barnet Lewis sale, Christies, 3 March 1930, lot 190, bought by Cawley for 150 gns.; Rt. Hon. Lord Leverhulme (1888 - 1949) sale, Christie’s, 2 Oct 1942, lot 88, bought by Leggatt for 60 gns.; Date of acquisition by Lord Fairhaven is unknown; bequeathed to the National Trust by Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Lord Fairhaven (1896-1966) with the house and the rest of the contents.
Credit line
Anglesey Abbey, The Fairhaven Collection (National Trust)
Makers and roles
William Etty RA (York 1787 – York 1849), publisher
References
Farr 1958 Dennis Farr, William Etty, London, 1958, No. 73, pp.88, 149 Gaunt and Roe 1943 William Gaunt and F.Gordon Roe, Etty and the Nude, Leigh-ion-Sea, 1943, pl. 47 Gilchrist 1855 Alexander Gilchrist, Life of William Etty RA, 2 vols. 1855, ol. II, p.338;