Bacchus and Ariadne, an Allegory of Autumn

Date

ca. 1699

Creator

This is an early version of the composition for a painting that was commissioned by Louis XIV for the Grand Salon at the Château of Marly. It differs from the final painting in some of its details, but the inscription of the size at the bottom confirms that it was part of this project. The drawing shows a continuing development toward lightness and color. While still idealized, the figures are less classically influenced than in earlier works, with rounded features and tapering limbs that will become a hallmark of the subsequent rococo style inspired by La Fosse’s art. from Snay, The Epic and the Intimate: French Drawings from the John D. Reilly Collection (Notre Dame, 2011)