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拍品专文
Born in Geneva to a patrician family of Huguenot origin, Jacques-Laurent Agasse trained in his hometown before moving to Paris in 1786. In Paris he completed his artistic education in the studio of Jacques-Louis David, while also studying animal anatomy and dissection. The outbreak of the French Revolution put an end to his French sojourn and he returned to Geneva in 1789. Having secured the patronage of George Pitt, after impressing him with a painting of his favorite greyhound, Agasse came to London and settled there in 1800, establishing himself there as a sporting painter. In addition to horse and dog portraiture, the artist developed an interest in more exotic animals, which at that time were being imported to England for public display and study.
On a number of occasions Agasse visited the menagerie at the Exeter Exchange on the Strand in London and formed a friendship with its owner, Edward Cross. Cross’ menagerie was a leading attraction in Georgian London, boasting lions, tigers, hyenas, ostriches, cheetahs, kangaroos and even an elephant on their broadside advertisements. There, Agasse studied the animals firsthand and painted lions on at least six occasions according to his manuscript record book.
Though history paintings by Agasse are rare, the theme of Androcles and the lion appears twice in the artist's record book. Androcles, according to folklore first recorded in the 2nd century, was a runaway slave who took shelter in a wounded lion’s den. After removing a large thorn from the lion’s paw, the animal returned the favor and became tame, sharing with Androcles the spoils of his hunts. When Androcles returned to Rome years later, he was condemned to be devoured by beasts for abandoning his master. By pure chance, however, the animal turned loose to attack him was the very same lion he had aided. The lion refused to pounce. The emperor, awestruck, pardoned Androcles and gave him the lion, as a testimony to the power of friendship. Agasse captured this moment of tenderness between man and beast with the exacting naturalism so characteristic of his work.
On a number of occasions Agasse visited the menagerie at the Exeter Exchange on the Strand in London and formed a friendship with its owner, Edward Cross. Cross’ menagerie was a leading attraction in Georgian London, boasting lions, tigers, hyenas, ostriches, cheetahs, kangaroos and even an elephant on their broadside advertisements. There, Agasse studied the animals firsthand and painted lions on at least six occasions according to his manuscript record book.
Though history paintings by Agasse are rare, the theme of Androcles and the lion appears twice in the artist's record book. Androcles, according to folklore first recorded in the 2nd century, was a runaway slave who took shelter in a wounded lion’s den. After removing a large thorn from the lion’s paw, the animal returned the favor and became tame, sharing with Androcles the spoils of his hunts. When Androcles returned to Rome years later, he was condemned to be devoured by beasts for abandoning his master. By pure chance, however, the animal turned loose to attack him was the very same lion he had aided. The lion refused to pounce. The emperor, awestruck, pardoned Androcles and gave him the lion, as a testimony to the power of friendship. Agasse captured this moment of tenderness between man and beast with the exacting naturalism so characteristic of his work.