"Anteros Pleads With Atropos"

c. 1700

“ANTEROS PLEADS WITH ATROPOS” (Italian, c. 1700) by Sebastiano Ricci (Italian, 1659-1734). In this early eighteenth century Venetian history painting the winged Anteros, the god of requited love, holds three wreaths in his left hand and holds a spear in his right hand, with this hand he points at a Venetian man with a wound to his temple. This man in turn points to a distant view of the Piazza San Marco in Venice in the lower left foreground. He is probably a member of the Corner family, and next to him is another young man with a wound to the chest. In the lower left sits a young soldier with a wounded neck. In the right background Atropos, one of the Fates, sits ready to cut the threads of life for the three wounded heroes. The subject may refer to the exploits of Alvise Corner, who is said to have brought Dalmatia under Venetian rule in 999. It is housed in the original early eighteenth century Venetian foliate giltwood frame.

Italian

Oil on canvas

74 3/4" x 55"

Purchased by the Preservation Society of Newport County, 2012.

PSNC.12522.2

PSNC.12522.1