Orpheus in the Underworld, André-Jean Le Brun, about 1785
André Jean LebrunFrancia, 1737–1811

Orpheus in the Underworld

about 1785 · Drawing · 43.5 × 62.5 cm

Si può vedere?

Non esposta al momento

Dove si trova «Orpheus in the Underworld» oggi? Collezione: Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Non esposta al momento. Verificato 7 ottobre 2026.

Getty Museum

Los Angeles, Stati Uniti

Appartiene alla collezione, ma al momento non è esposta.

Verificato
Ultimo cambio di stato
Fonte
Il museo

Sull’opera

Through an exploration of volume conveyed by broad strokes of brown wash and calligraphic pen lines, André-Jean Le Brun depicts a pivotal moment in the tragic story of Orpheus, the musician and poet who journeyed to the netherworld in order to resurrect his late wife Eurydice. Seated on a raised, strongly-lit throne before a banner of cloth (loosely suggested by aqueous tidelines), Hades and his consort Persephone, rulers of the underworld, listen to Orpheus play the violin as he pleads for the return of Eurydice. Their court of “shades” look on from the shadowy foreground at left, shrouded in heavily articulated drapery. The result is a dramatic contrast between the enthroned monarchs and the cloaked audience. Le Brun worked and reworked the figure of Orpheus, replacing his traditional lyre with a violin, and making changes that eventually necessitated an irregularly shaped patch with a redrawn version of the figure.

Getty Museum

Scheda

Numero di inventario
2021.135

In catalogo

Fonti

Tutte le opere

Anche in sala: Getty Museum

Pagina del museo