Caption

Allegory with the writer Jean de La Fontaine and his muse, print, In a forest, a writer, possibly Jean de La Fontaine, is inspired by a female personification of Truth, who is revealed by two putti. Various animals have gathered around him. In the foreground, a lyre and a profile portrait of the Greek fabulist Aesop., printmaker: Reinier Vinkeles (I), Amsterdam, after drawing by Jacobus Buys, publisher: Allart en Holtrop, 1786, paper, etching, engraving, height 237 mm x width 151 mm, Proof print of illustration for: La Fontaine, Jean de. Fables. Amsterdam: Johannes Allart and Gerrit Warnars, Harlingen: Van der Plaats, 1803., Person, Aesopus, Truth, 'Verità' (Ripa), snakes, author, poet writing, A reclining nude woman rests on a cloud while two winged cherubs hold a draped cloth above her, a leafy tree with perched birds appears at the upper left, and a seated man with long hair and draped clothing writes in a book on a raised stool below. Surrounding the seated man are various animals including a horse, a bull, a lion, a goat, a dog, and other livestock grouped near the lower right; a bird sits on a branch near the left middle, and a figure's head appears in a small circular medallion near the lower left. Various objects such as open books, a quill or stylus, and a coiled snake lie on the ground in front of the seated figure, while clouds fill the background behind the reclining woman.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26B43_404

License type

Rights managed

Available size

43.1Mb (11.3Mb) / 10.4in x 16.2in / 3106 x 4845 (300dpi)

Keywords

Allegory writer Jean de La Fontaine muse print forest writer Jean de La Fontaine inspired female personification Truth revealed two putti Various animals gathered foreground lyre profile portrait Greek fabulist Aesop printmaker Reinier Vinkeles I Amsterdam drawing Jacobus Buys publisher Allart en Holtrop 1786 paper etching engraving height 237 mm x width 151 mm Proof print illustration La Fontaine Jean de Fables Johannes Allart Gerrit Warnars Harlingen Van der Plaats 1803 Person Aesopus Verità Ripa snakes author poet writing reclining nude woman rests cloud two winged cherubs hold draped cloth leafy tree perched birds upper left seated man long hair draped clothing writes book raised stool Surrounding various animals horse bull lion goat dog livestock grouped near lower right bird sits branch near left middle figure's head small circular medallion near lower left Various objects open books quill stylus coiled snake lie ground front seated figure clouds fill background reclining woman