VIEN, Joseph-Marie

In 1773 Vien received the patronage of Mme du Barry, who for her Château de Louveciennes commissioned the series of four works depicting the Progress of Love in the Hearts of Young Girls. Two from the series, the Greek Maidens Adorning a Sleeping Cupid with Flowers, and the Lover Crowning his Mistress, are in the Louvre.

Vien had about 60 students, including Jacques-Louis David, in his studio in the Rue Montmartre in Paris. Although he encouraged his students to paint directly from the life model and to study Renaissance artist, his work suggests that he did not always follow his own advice. This painting treats the subject as a piece of veiled erotica: the image of the Cupid held by his wings promising sexual fulfillment. Despite its classical inspiration, it is effectively a Rococo subject in antique clothing.

In 1773 Vien received the patronage of Mme du Barry, who for her Château de Louveciennes commissioned the series of four works depicting the Progress of Love in the Hearts of Young Girls. Two from the series, the Greek Maidens Adorning a Sleeping Cupid with Flowers, and the Lover Crowning his Mistress, are in the Louvre.

Louis XV had Marigny commission a cycle of paintings on the virtues of great rulers. At the Salon of 1765 Vien presented this painting. Diderot commented it: “The pose of Marcus Aurelius is not displeasing; it is simple and natural; but his face is without expression; it is truly unpained, without commiseration, steeped in all the apathy of his cult.” Diderot’s conclusion was that the painting was a “composition without warmth or liveliness, no poetry, no imagination…. they are just so many pieces of card cut out and placed one over another.”

This painting was presented at the Salon of 1753 in Paris.

The choice of the subject of this painting was suggested by Diderot. The painting, sent to Russia without being exhibited at the Salon, was not a success, which angered Diderot.

This painting is one of the artist’s finest works in the Neo-classical style, and the first of four major works painted by the artist during his tenure as Director of the French Academy in Rome. Though history and religious painting dominated his early career, influenced by a particular interest in Italian Baroque painting, Vien went on to become one of the earliest proponents in France of Neo-clacissism.