Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Boucher

I don't believe I have blogged about this before.  I picked up this bit about Boucher from my Aesthetics prof many years ago.  Boucher tended to like having little jokes going on in his paintings. 

This is his Diana Leaving her bath.  Now to really understand this painting you have to be up on your mythology.  In particularly the myth of Actaeon.  Actaeon was a pretty good guy, people liked him.  He had just finished hunting for the day and had parted with his friends.  He is on his way home when he bursts into a clearing and sees the goddess Artemis fully naked at her bath.  Artemis is a virgin goddess and can not have that, so she kicks water at him and turns him into a deer.  His own dogs tear him to pieces and eat him. 
Now as I am sure you know Diana is Artemis's Roman name.  The primary viewers of this painting would have been male.  You have to pay attention to the composition of this painting and what it points to.  If you follow the blue fabric down along Diana and her kicking foot you get kicked to the dog sphincter.  If you follow the top of the hill the goddess is leaning against it again points you to dog sphincter.  So beware males you may turn into steaming dog poo after viewing this painting!