G.M. MASTER
First half of the 18th century
The abduction of Deianira
olio on canvas, cm 183×148
firmato G.M.
The mythological episode of Nessus attempting to force himself upon the beautiful Dejanira, wife of Hercules, is here depicted in its climactic moment. The lustful centaur, while abducting the young girl, is struck by the demigod with the arrow that will kill him. Filled with baroque emphasis and dynamism, the painting skillfully highlights the scantily dressed woman’s body, lit amid the dark forest.
An inscription found on the picture’s lower right corner, with the initials G and M followed by an F (which probably stands for “fecit”), offers the tempting possibility of attributing this rigorous painting to a so far unknown artist, who may have made it in 1709 or 1739, depending on the interpretation of the third figure.
It is worth noting, for instance, how successfully the suffering face of Nessus is depicted, evidently inspired by ancient models, such as the Laocoon; the painting exhibits an effortless pictorial ductus, which leads to believe that the artist was part of the Venetian school or, at the very least, used it as reference. In the same way, the influence of the works of Pietro Liberi, master specializing in licentious paintings populated with young girls reminiscent of the Veronisian school, is evident.