A Triton Blowing a Conch Shell 1724

Jean-Baptiste Nattier created this drawing of a Triton blowing a conch shell some time in the late 17th or early 18th century. The drawing captures a mythological figure, a triton, son of Poseidon, straining to sound a conch shell. Made in France, this sketch gives insight into the academic artistic practices of the time. The mastery of anatomy suggests that this artist had extensive artistic training and had the opportunity to study human figures in great detail. France was an emerging power in the art world. The French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, established in 1648, codified artistic training and promoted a classical style. Nattier himself became an Academician in 1703, and his career exemplifies how artists would find institutional support through these channels. Studying Nattier’s life and the archives of the Academy can shed light on the artistic conventions of his era. Art history helps us to understand the social conditions that shape artistic production.