Ganymede
Statue
ca. 1760 (made)
ca. 1760 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The shepherd Ganymede, famous for his beauty, was abducted by the God Jupiter, taking the form of an eagle. Ganymede became cup-bearer to the gods. This myth, popular with French eighteenth-century artists, was largely known to them from the 'Metamorphoses' of the Roman poet, Ovid. The influence of sculpture of classical antiquity is clearly evident in this statue, even though the finish is no longer fine and smooth due to weathering.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Ganymede (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Marble |
| Brief description | Statue, marble, Ganymede, by Guillaume (II) Coustou, French, about 1760 |
| Physical description | The youth stands with his weight on the left foot, the right knee slightly bent. In his right hand he holds a shallow cup. His left is placed affectionately on a rather undersized eagle, which had perched on the tree-trunk supporting the figure on the right. He bends his head as he gazes at the bird. Inscribed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'GUILLAUME COUSTOU FILS' (Inscribed on the right side of the rectangular base.) |
| Object history | Bought from Christopher Gibbs Ltd., London, for £1,950, in 1964. Formerly in the Wallace Collection. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The shepherd Ganymede, famous for his beauty, was abducted by the God Jupiter, taking the form of an eagle. Ganymede became cup-bearer to the gods. This myth, popular with French eighteenth-century artists, was largely known to them from the 'Metamorphoses' of the Roman poet, Ovid. The influence of sculpture of classical antiquity is clearly evident in this statue, even though the finish is no longer fine and smooth due to weathering. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.15-1964 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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