Le sommeil des nymphes, la nuit 

Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz’s “Le sommeil des nymphes, la nuit” presents a nocturnal scene painted with oils, featuring sleeping nymphs and playful cherubs under a moonlight. Díaz, working in 19th-century France, engaged with the Romantic movement's fascination with nature and mythology. His idealized vision of nymphs draws on classical imagery that was highly prevalent in the institutionalised artistic culture of the Academy. However, unlike the highly finished paintings that were typically expected, Díaz adopts a looser style, integrating elements of the Barbizon School, which favoured direct engagement with the landscape, and can be seen as challenging the conventions of academic art. This brings up questions about what the role of art is at a time when art and artists were beginning to challenge the artistic establishment. By studying exhibition records, critical reviews, and the artist's biography, we can better understand how Díaz negotiated the artistic and social expectations of his time.