Nicolas-rené Jollain (1732 – 1804) - The Cave Of Hercules (homer Singing Hi

Nicolas-René JOLLAIN (Paris, 1732 – id., 1804)
The Cave of Hercules (Homer Singing His Hymns to the Gods)

Oil on canvas. H. 0.59; W. 0.73

Provenance:
Jollain’s workshop : one of the paintings found in Nicolas-René Jollain's studio after his death: "no. 14, The Cave of Hercules, painting on canvas, 22 inches high by 26 wide," appraised at 16 francs according to the painters Alexandre Pau de Saint-Martin and François Vergner (inventory after the death of Nicolas-René Jollain, Paris, National Archives, central notarial records, unpublished document dated year XI of the Revolutionary calendar).
Private collection, France

The painting presented here (fig. 3) is emblematic of the late style of Nicolas-René Jollain, one of the most important French history painters of his generation. A student of Jean-Baptiste-Marie Pierre, himself a history painter at the Royal Academy, Nicolas-René Jollain won second prize there in 1754. He was accepted into the Royal Academy in 1765 and formally inducted in 1771 with the presentation of "The Good Samaritan" in 1773 (Paris, Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet church). The artist was then engaged to decorate the royal residences. In 1771, he delivered two mythological overdoors for the Petit Trianon ("Clytie Turned into a Sunflower"; "Hyacinth Turned into a Flower"; Versailles, National Museum of the Château). In 1781, he was commissioned to decorate the chapel of the Château de Fontainebleau ("Jesus in the Temple" and "Jesus Among the Doctors"; in situ). The same year, he received a commission for an overdoor for the queen's bedroom at the Château de Marly ("Sleep"; London, Wallace Collection). However, Nicolas-René Jollain is best known for his numerous smaller format paintings that he exhibited at the Salons of academicians (which he began doing in 1767, shortly after his acceptance).

Our painting showcases the stylistic features of Nicolas-René Jollain, starting with the scale relationship between the figures and the format. Unlike the works commissioned for royal residences, Jollain's paintings often feature small-scale figures, allowing him to explore the spatial setting, whether architectural or natural, as seen here. Acquired by the Musée de Soissons in 1992, the pair of paintings on the story of Pyrrhus perfectly illustrates this phenomenon, and it is worth noting that the background of one of them (fig. 1) shows a similar dramatic torrent. We also find numerous analogies with other works by the same artist. The figure of the young woman sitting with her legs folded over each other reappears in a drawing by the artist (art market, 2018; fig. 2). The figure of Diana, on the right, bears a striking resemblance to that of the Achaean hero as depicted in "Achilles Fighting the Scamander," a typical Jollain painting (though not recognized as such; art market, 2023; fig. 4). Each figure is advancing with outstretched arms, looking back. The real question posed by our painting is not its classification—Nicolas-René Jollain's name is established—but its exact representation. It seems the artist sought to distinguish himself with the sophisticated iconography of his works. He depicted unexpected historical subjects such as "Iapyx Healing Aeneas" (French art market, 1992), "The Birth of Abel" (art market, 2008), and the pair on the story of Pyrrhus mentioned above (Musée de Soissons). But it is the inventory after the painter's death (1804) that best shows the breadth of subjects painted by Jollain. It notably includes illustrations of "Paul and Virginia," a novel by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre published shortly before (1788). This same document seems to trace the painting we present. The "Cave of Hercules" painted on canvas, measuring 22 inches high by 26 wide, or 59 cm high by 70 cm wide (see our provenance section), matches our composition too well.

However, the title mentioned in the inventory remains ambiguous. What exactly does "The Cave of Hercules" refer to? Certainly, the demigod is prominently featured in the painting, but he is not really engaged in any action. The viewer's eye is rather drawn to the singer holding a lyre (which here takes the form of a harp). Any identification with Orpheus seems excluded, as there is no mythological story of Hercules listening to Orpheus. It appears that we are actually witnessing a real successor to Orpheus in the person of Homer. The scene might be set on the island of Chios, where the Greek poet was born, hence the presence of the spectacular cave of the village of Olympi. Jollain might have depicted, on the left, a group of young women and children who have come to listen to Homer. In the distance, hunters and fishermen, driven by curiosity, approach the poet. By singing his hymns, some of which are known to be dedicated to Hercules and Diana (among other deities), Homer might have caused them to appear. Nicolas-René Jollain might have simply transferred the concept of one of Poussin's most famous paintings: "The Inspiration of the Poet" (Louvre). Virgil writes his texts, the deities who inspire him (Apollo and the muse of poetry) standing beside him. This would be the major difference with the work of Jean-Pierre Saint-Ours (1752-1809) dating from 1793 (Geneva, Museum of Art and History), or even with the drawing by Jacques-Louis David made the following year (Louvre). In these works, Greeks are seen listening to Homer singing his poems without the gods appearing. In the 19th century, this subject would become quite popular (Félix Boisselier, Paul Jourdy). Considering the generation he belongs to, Nicolas-René Jollain might have been a pioneer of this type of representation.

Fr. Marandet, London, July 27, 2024