Cephalus en Procris 1750 - 1757

Curator: The immediate impact of this scene... well, it’s theatrical, isn’t it? Melodramatic, even. There’s a woman, clearly dead, with an arrow sticking out of her, and a weeping cherub floating overhead like something out of an opera. Editor: It’s baroque, through and through! What you are perceiving in the image comes directly from the imagery connected with emotional resonance. Louis Simon Lempereur created this print between 1750 and 1757 after a painting of the same subject. It’s titled "Cephalus and Procris". Curator: Cephalus and Procris... remind me of the story? My mythological literacy is shamefully spotty, even after all this time working in museums. Editor: Briefly, Procris tests Cephalus' love, hides in a thicket, and Cephalus, thinking an animal is rustling about, shoots her with a magic spear, a gift from Artemis. This scene captures the tragic climax. We're dealing with jealousy, misunderstanding, a touch of divine intervention...classic ingredients. Curator: And all rendered in exquisite detail in this engraving. The composition feels a little off-kilter, almost dreamlike. I wonder if that was intentional? The way her body sprawls…the pose is very specific. Do we know anything about Lempereur's influences, or what the references would have been in his era? Editor: Oh, certainly. Consider the weeping cherub. It doesn’t just signify sadness, it directly references cupid, reminding us that it was love and passion itself that led to this tragedy. The dog sitting faithfully by Cephalus reinforces themes of fidelity gone wrong. They are constant reminders, and potent cultural signifiers! Also, the use of such classical tropes, like the "noble dog," would create instant recognition for audiences in Lempereur's time. Curator: You know, it almost humanizes Cephalus to see the poor dog looking up to him as if something tragic happened… even if it's the consequence of something stupid. A strange and specific scene, really, with universal significance even in our contemporary view. I think I'll have to go do a bit more digging into Lempereur! Editor: Me too! This tragic little drama highlights just how skillfully artists could leverage pre-existing symbols and cultural memories to amplify a story's emotional power. It makes us look twice!