Drawing upon Ovidian myth, this late seventeenth-to-eighteenth-century composition captures the tragedy of Venus and Adonis. Adonis lies lifeless at the feet of a distraught Venus, while Cupid stands in contrapposto nearby amidst a golden chariot, woodland foliage, and two doves. The narrative depicts the tragic fulfillment of Venus's premonition: despite her warnings, Adonis embarked on a hunt where he was fatally gored by a wild boar.
The wooden stretcher bears a carved inscription reading "Venus & Adonis by G. de Lairesse", referencing the prominent Dutch Golden Age artist and theorist Gerard de Lairesse. Celebrated for his classical compositions and influential treatises, De Lairesse's style deeply influenced eighteenth-century academic art. Executed with dramatic chiaroscuro, a jewel-toned palette, and delicate modeling, the work reflects the classical elegance of Western European historical painting.
estern European, possibly by Gerard De Lairesse (Belgian, 1641-1711). Venus, Adonis and Cherub, oil on canvas, late 17th to 18th century. Inscription "Venus & Adonis by G. de Lairesse" carved on wooden stretcher which likely refers to Dutch Golden Age artist Gerard or Gerard de Lairesse (Liege, 1641-1711). A beautifully rendered painting depicting Adonis lying dead at the foot of distraught Venus, with Cupid behind standing in contrapposto, a golden chariot to the rear, and two doves in the forest setting. All is rendered with skillful modelling, a jewel tone palette, and dramatic lights and darks. Mounted in a gold tone wood frame with red velvet covered moulding. The frame is antique but not contemporary to the painting. Size (sight view): 13.125" L x 17" W (33.3 cm x 43.2 cm) Size (frame): 18.5" L x 21.875" W (47 cm x 55.6 cm)
More on the iconography of this painting: Venus dreamed that Adonis had an accident while hunting. She rushed to try to prevent him from going off to hunt, but Adonis ignored her. He thought Venus was crazy to believe in such dreams. Unfortunately, Venus's dream came true: during the hunt, a wild pig with large tusks killed Adonis. A heartbroken Venus had to watch her poor Adonis die because he did not listen to her warning. The moral of the story, listen to your lover or get bored to death!
About Gerard de Lairesse (1641 ? 1711): Gerard de Lairesse was an artist of the Dutch Golden Age as well as an art theorist. In addition to being a visual artist, he engaged with music, theatre, and poetry. De Lairesse's influences in the realm of visual art include Perugian artist Cesare Ripa and French Neoclassical painters such as Charles le Brun. Following the death of Rembrandt, his work rose to a new level of significance, and his treatises on drawing and painting, Grondlegginge Ter Teekenkonst (1701), based on geometry and Groot Schilderboek (1707) greatly influenced the direction of 18th-century artists.
According to scholar Jasper Hillegers, "Gerard de Lairesse was, after Rembrandt and possibly Abraham Bloemaert, the most wide-ranging artist active in the Northern Netherlands during the seventeenth century. His subjects cover history, allegory, portraiture, and even genre. Moreover, Lairesse was prolific in all three major pictorial media of his time. In addition to a known painted oeuvre of more than 250 works, often in large format, he produced some 120 prints himself and collaborated with various printmakers who produced many prints after his designs." (Source: "The Drawings of Gerard de Lairesse: State of Affairs" Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art, Winter 2020)
Please note: The wooden backing of the frame is carved with "Venus & Adonis by G. de Lairesse," which likely refers to Gerard or Gerard de Lairesse (Liege, 1641-1711). While this inscription was probably created by an art dealer or former owner of this painting rather than the artist himself, the style of the painting is congruent with that of a Venetian, French, or Dutch painter of the 17th to 18th century, perhaps that of de Lairesse as indicated by this inscription, and the chemical composition of the pigments is consistent with this period.
