Description
The painting Four Muses and Pegasus on Parnassus by César Van Everdingen is a work of great visual and stylistic impact. With an original size of 340 x 230 cm, this work is a true jewel of Dutch Baroque.
The composition of the painting is very interesting, as it presents a mythological scene in which the four muses of poetry, music, dance and comedy meet on top of Mount Parnassus, accompanied by the mythical winged horse Pegasus. The perspective used by the artist is very successful, since it manages to create a sensation of depth and movement in the scene.
Color is another very prominent aspect of this painting. The warm and bright tones used by Van Everdingen create an atmosphere of joy and vitality, which perfectly complements the mythological theme of the work.
The history of the painting is also very interesting. It was commissioned by the city of Amsterdam in 1660 to decorate the new town hall, and became one of the most important works in the city's art collection. However, during World War II, the painting was stolen by the Nazis and taken to Germany, where it was recovered by Allied forces in 1945.
A little known aspect of this work is that Van Everdingen used his wife and their lovers as models to represent the muses in the painting. This personal choice of the artist gave a touch of intimacy and sensuality to the work, which makes it one of the most interesting of the Dutch Baroque.
In short, Four Muses and Pegasus on Parnassus is an impressive painting that stands out for its composition, color, and mythological subject matter. Its history and little-known details about its creation make it a fascinating and one-of-a-kind work.