Triomf van Venus 1852

Editor: Okay, here we have "Triumph of Venus," a print made by Julien-Léopold Boilly in 1852. It's an engraving on paper, and honestly, it strikes me as a rather…clinical depiction of something meant to be quite sensual and celebratory. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Boilly's Venus. Clinical, you say? Perhaps, but think of it as a love letter to cool, clear reason, filtered through the lens of Neoclassicism. Imagine Boilly, perhaps a touch weary of Romantic excesses, yearning for the structured gardens and precise lines of antiquity. It's a revival, a studied return. Do you not sense the allure, the almost subversive wink, in re-presenting passion with such calculated restraint? Editor: I guess I’m so used to more…boisterous depictions of Venus. I struggle to connect with what feels so posed here. The Cupid pulling her chariot almost look bored! Curator: Bored Cupids! Now there's an idea! But look closer at the chasing dog near the chariot, tail wagging, tongue lolling. Perhaps that little canine holds the key. Isn't there a spark of humor, a sense of lightness intended in the contrast? The Age of Reason was ending and that kind of rational, more subdued and detached kind of allegorical imagery may be becoming out of fashion at this point... Still this work wants to convince us with a kind of return to antiquity. Editor: So, the 'clinical' aspect is intentional, maybe even a commentary on changing tastes? I initially missed the humor. Curator: Exactly! We often miss what is slyly right in front of us. It's those quiet, clever jabs that make Boilly so very...Boilly! Editor: Well, now I appreciate the artwork much more after hearing that perspective. I’ll definitely have to adjust how I talk about it! Curator: Excellent! Remember that art whispers secrets to those who linger and listen – and maybe snicker a little, too!