Roman School, 18th century

Sacrifice of Iphigenia

Oil on canvas, cm 50 x 65

Roman School, 18th century

Roman School, 18th century

Sacrifice of Iphigenia

Oil on canvas, cm 50 x 65

The canvas depicts The Sacrifice of Iphigenia, a theme reported by numerous sources, including the Greek tragedies Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides and Agamemnon by Aeschylus, as well as Ovid’s metamorphoses. The myth tells how the Greeks, under the command of Agamemnon, gathered at the city of Aulides, in Boeotia, from which they sailed to Troy. The persistent calm of the winds, however, prevents the Greek ships from taking to the sea and the forced stay of the armies in the city favors the spread of an epidemic. The discontent is rampant and the authority of Agamemnon falters. The king then questions the fortune teller Calcante for enlightenment on what to do. He reveals that the difficult situation is the result of the anger of Artemis towards the same Agamemnon guilty of killing, during a hunt, a deer dear to the goddess. The only way to overcome the impasse - continues Calcante - is to sacrifice to Artemis Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon. The leader of the Greeks accepts and makes sure that the girl, accompanied by her mother Clytemnestra, reaches Boeotia: to induce mother and daughter to travel Agamemnon, lying, lets them know that Achilles has asked for Iphigenia in marriage. Upon Iphigenia’s arrival in Boeotia, Agamemnon’s deception is soon revealed, but she agrees to sacrifice herself to allow the Greek army to reach Troy.

Our canvas, the work of a Roman painter of Neoclassical, is taken from an engraving and a painting by the seventeenth-century painter Pietro Testa (Lucca, 1612 - Rome, 1650). As can be seen in the inscription contained in the first print run of the engraving (later deleted), the printing with the sacrifice of Ifigenia was dedicated by Pietro Testa to Mario Albrizzi, ecclesiastical holder of the office of referendario of the Two Signatures, judicial body of the pontifical administration. The complex dedication to the high prelate contains a praise for the purity of the design sometimes corrupted by the inadequate use of color. Mentioned by Passeri as one of the highest tests of the Head in the field, the engraving (as can be read on the step of the base of the altar) was imprinted in the printing house set up by Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi in Rome, in Via della Pace. The print is signed with the monogram used by the artist (which overlaps a P, a T and an L, Petrus Testa Lucensis, that is Lucchese) followed by the words pinx. [en] and sculp. [sit]. The canvas that the Head has derived instead is now preserved at the Galleria Spada in Rome. 

With Ars Antiqua you can defer all amounts up to € 7,500 at ZERO RATE, for a total of 15 INSTALLMENTS.

Ex. Tot. € 4,500 = Monthly installment € 300 for 15 months.

Ex. Tot. € 3,600 = Monthly installment € 720 for 5 months.

For amounts over €7,500 or for a longer grace period (over 15 installments), we can provide a custom payment.

Contact us directly to get the best quote.

LIVE TV

- SUNDAY 17.00 - 21.00 Dig.terr. 126 + 813 SKY

- Streaming on our website www.arsantiquasrl.com and on our social networks Facebook and Youtube

All the works proposed by Ars Antiqua are sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity in accordance with the law and accurate fact sheet.

You can see the works directly at the showroom gallery in Milan, in via Pisacane 55 and 57.

We personally organize transport and deliveries of the works, both for Italy and abroad

Specific References

Menu
Close
Cart
Close
Back
Account
Close
group_work Cookie consent