Anacréon. Recueil De Compositions Dessinées par Girodet, Et Gravées Par M. Chatillon, Son Élève, Avec La Traduction En Prose Des Odes De Ce Poète, Faite également par Girodet; Publié Par Son Héritier Et Par Les Soins De MM. Becquerel Et P.-A. Coupin.
All plates are signed as designed by Girodet and engraved by H. (G.) Chatillon, apart from pl. 2 & 4, which are unsigned.
References
T. Crow, Emulation: making artists for revolutionary France (1995); S. Nevison Brown, Girodet [dissertation, Uny. London] (1980); G. Bernier, Anne-Louis Girodet, Prix de Rome 1789 (1975); De David à Delacroix [exhibition catalogue] (1974).
Summary Note
The text consists of Girodet's French prose translation of sixty-four ancient Greek odes, either by Anacreon or the imitations of his works ('Anacreontea'). All are amatory or convivial poems.
The plates are outline drawings illustrating the poems; the last is an 'Apothéose D'Anacréon'. They show chiefly nude or semi-nude figures, yielding to, or vainly combatting, the charms of love and wine. Two show a girl and a youth having their portraits taken (pl. 27, 28); one shows a wax statuette of love (pl. 14). P.A. Coupin, in his 'Discours Préliminaire', writes that 'Girodet n'est pas moins voluptueux qu'Anacréon, mais il conserve toujours cette grace, cette délicatesse qui ajoutent tant de charmes à la volupte' - a delicacy and sentimentality that only occasionally become more animated, as in his illustration of the 'Inutilité de la science' (pl. 33).
Immediate source of Acquisition
Presented by , the architect T. L. Donaldson, , 27 June 1867.
Provenance
On the front pastedown is pasted a slip inscribed in ink, '21 Upper Bedford Place Russell Sqre W.C. 27 June 1867 My dear Mr Hart I beg to offer for the acceptance of the Royal Academy a volume of illustrations of the Odes of Anacreon which I trust may be considered not unworthy a place in the Library & believe me my dear Sir faithfully yrs Thos. L. Donaldson Solomon Hart Esq. R.A. Librarian'.
Binding Note
19th-century half calf, brown papered boards; red morocco spine-label lettered 'Anacreon - Girodet', spine lettered 'R.A.'
Mythology, Greek - Love - Iconography
Greeks - Social life and customs - Greece - 6th century B.C. - 5th century B.C.
Drawings - 19th century
Greek poetry - 6th century B.C. - 5th century B.C.
Poetry - Translations into French - Translations from Greek - France - 19th century
Pictorial works - Illustrated books - France - 19th century