Featured Trying to find info on an old wood panel painting.

I went back and studied the edges and the way the fabrics skirt the edges looks deliberate. I would be more inclined to think this a decorative painting if it were never cut. The wax seal on the back also makes me think decorative. The dark brown stain on the back also looks decorative.

 

Very interesting indeed! I had always been curious about the painting, but when we saw the seal I was really excited. It just added to whole mystery of it all. It would be amazing to find out who’s seal that was and maybe get a history of the painting.

 

I'm going to take a guess at a little of the symbolism of the piece: The goat has often been used in art to depict Satan, and the dog has been used to depict loyalty and fidelity.

Given the fact that the dog is sound asleep, while the [rather evil looking] goat is standing and staring at the dog, I'm thinking that it may mean that evil has overtaken good, or something to the effect. Maybe the dirty old men are married and have coerced the young women to disrobe and dance while they played their 'instruments.' Could have a night of heavy debauchery planned.

The red garment or blanket by the dog draws attention, and is another clue to the importance of the symbolism.

But hey, it could be all of those drugs that I took in the early 70s, too!

 

Indeed. I'd never seen the number four symbol before, but to me it looks like 2 small birds (doves?) on the top edges of the number 4.

 

So many questions.

I know nothing of the ways of painters before there were art supply stores. Do know you can't paint on new wood & expect it to last. Did painters use wood reclaimed from older furniture?

This

& the accompanying photo only confused me further about the nature of the surface the painting is on vs. other elements. Is the black on the back paint? Some other substance adhering to the back? I'm confused by the rough looking texture of the back combined with the smoother surface of the painting & the lighter color around one edge in the photo blooey just reposted.

In some photos of the seal there are dots of red at high points. Is that the underlying color of the material used, now darkened to the color of lead? Lighting artifact? Is seal entirely above the surface or is some of it recessed down into the wood? My guess is that it is 'sulphur wax', used for gem impressions such as in this collection, 'sulphur wax (colored red with lead)'. This substance gets quite hard, not like beeswax or parafin.

The imagery of the painting is curious & I have not begun trying to find it. For all you other sleuths, @Jivvy is correct that it feels like it should be related to Bacchus & his 'revel rout', but there are points that also make it different. Nude females dancing with abandon are consistent with a bacchanale, as is the presence of a goat or two. What is not usual is the cast off clothing of the women in the foreground, which indicates they are ordinary rustic women, not nymphs or full-time maenads. I would like to be able to see the men better, but think they are just 2 goat herds. Is the one on the right playing a musical instrument of the lyre type? And is the one on the left looking out at the viewer, not enjoying the show?



Are there similar clusters in the background? Does everyone back there appear to be fully clothed?

That could be a wine jug on the ground next to the lady's hat. It's the only thing in the scene, as far as I can see, relating to grapes, vineyards, wine or intoxication; no one carries a thyrsus or any other of the accoutrements associated with Dionysian celebrations.

My impression is that, while the idea of country folk who live closely with their flocks being less inhibited & getting up to who knows what out there at night on those isolated hills ties in with the woodland scenes of Pan, satyrs, nymphs & fauns in the train of Dionysys/Bacchus, this is not meant to be a scene from mythology.

 

Perhaps there is only one, is this a bird?

 

In paintings, dogs represent fidelity. Here's van Eyck's famous wedding portrait The Arnolfini Wedding and an alert dog is positioned at the couple's feet, joining them.
A sleeping dog positioned to the side represents license.

Debora

 

Lol, there were meanings tied to everything. I was told it could be an allegory of spring, or maybe related Bacchus. FYI, there are two goats, the second is behind the fist and very dark.

 

I think I mentioned earlier that this was a copy/after/based on the style of a Poussin bacchanal, but obviously not of the same quality.

 

Here is a little better of a pic. You can see there must’ve been some overpainting or something because the instrument doesn’t match the hands of the gentleman looking at the women. You can also see the other goat better and the people in the background on the hill.

 

Is it possible to find the original?

 

Also I’d like to note that what looks like a bevel I think, is where the painting rested in the frame before it was first removed. Idk, but it looks like those “bevel lines” could be cleaned off and there is no discernible angle to the edges.

 

I can tell this is going to be one heck of a rabbit hole.



https://rakinglight.co.uk/uk/pew-and-choir-stall-graffiti-from-kent-and-a-little-from-elsewhere/

 

Maybe - if there is one! More likely to be copied from an engraving, this type of painting often is.

 

I am so @#$!%! deep down this rabbit hole, I may never resurface.

This was fun: https://www.arthistorynews.com/articles/3405_Much_ado_about_nothing

 

Now that stuff looks like GENUINE old wood!

 

Welcome to my world. It has been all consuming at times.

 

In fact, I'm so far down the rabbit hole, I have resorted to clicking on pinterest links. PINTEREST.

 

the folks in the back ground look frightened looking towards that red sky.
I think it's a symbol of the world burning, while the folks in the center party , oblivious to what is about to befall them......
Thus the menacing goat...looking down on the sleeping dog !!

or have I not woken up yet ! ???

 

Wow!!