Procris and Cephalus
Andreas Nesselthaler (1748 - 1821)
Framesize 127.00 x 90.00 x 3.40 cm
Collection Hieronymus Count Colloredo (1732 Vienna – 1812 Vienna), Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg (1772–1803); Kunsthandel Kodric, Salzburg; 2.5.1977, acquisition, Residenzgalerie Salzburg
JUFFINGER 2010, vol. 1, pp. 157–158
Nesselthaler (1748–1821) drew inspiration from Ovid (Metamorphoses VII, 687–756, 794–862) in the hunting episode of Procris and Cephalus. The story tells of marital fidelity, jealousy and a passion for hunting; here the dramatic ending is rendered most undramatically in the foreground, set in a peaceful Arcadian landscape. The dominant feature is the tree against which the dying Procris is leaning. Cephalus is drawing his unerring spear from the fatal wound. Turn-of-the-century classicism is evident in the archaising features of the protagonists. The trees in the right-hand middle ground look like pines – probably a reminiscence of the time the artist spent in Italy.
DUCKE Astrid: Andreas Nesselthaler, Procris and Cephalus, object description for the exhibition "Natur wird Bild. Österreichische Barocklandschaften" (30.7.2021-31.1.2022)
Translation: Gail Schamberger MA, Salzburg
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