Lavinia Fontana’s Galatea: Personification of Fortune and Venus

摘要

Lavinia Fontana’s(1552-1614)Galatea and Cherubs riding the Stormy Waves on a Sea Monster(aka Galatea)of 1590 is an intriguing mythological painting.Being painted on copper,it is a fine example of Lavinia’s exploration of new artistic techniques and materials as well as testimony to her bold artistic interpretations.Lavinia’s Galatea was part of a private collection in Bologna(Diletta Badeschi).This work fascinates the viewer with its erotic audacity and complex iconographical conceits.Recent scholarship by Daniele Benati,Fausto Gozzi,and Enrico Maria Dal Pozzolo assist in unraveling the meaning of this painting.In this essay there are additional interpretative suggestions.