The Spinners ( Arachne's Tale) Oil on Canvas 19th Century

Features

Artwork title:  Le filatrici (La favola di Aracne)

Age:  19th Century / 1801 - 1900

Subject:  Allegorical/Mythological Subject

Origin:  Italy

Artistic technique:  Painting

Technical specification:  Oil on Canvas

Description : Le filatrici (La favola di Aracne)

Oil on cancas. Fair copy of the famous masterpiece of Diego Velaquez painted in 1657 and now preserved at the Museum of Prado. Untill mid-20th century the painting was entitled " The tapestry factory of Saint Isabel in Madrid"; just after 1948 Diego Angulo Iniguez's studies allowed to reconize a relationship between the painting and Arachne's ancient myth. In the foreground of the scene there are some spinners working in a room unadorned and poorly lit by a soffuse ligth reflected by the space behind. There are five women: on the left in dim light the oldest one thet is starting the wheel, in front of her on the rightthere is a youg gilr collecting the thread in the "aspa"; thei would be the representation of Athena, still hidden unde false features, and human Archade, during their race. the other three women are just simple surrounding, the middle one is just a static shape. In the background there is the scene of the goddess revealing herself to the woman, central and illuminated by a powerful light beam coming from the left, as well as by the bright colors of the tapestry and the cloths. The copy in question shows on the back a tag of inventory and shipping of Paris. The painting comes along with a coeval gilded frame.

Product Condition:
Fair condition. Wear consistent with age and use.

Frame Size (cm):
Height: 108
Width: 135
Depth: 6

Artwork dimensions (cm):
Height: 90
Width: 116

Additional Information