Virgil Reading The Aeneid To #Augustus And Octavia, by Jean-Baptiste Wicar, 1819-1821

The scene is Rome, 23 BC, at the court of Augustus. Octavia, the Emperor’s sister, faints as she listens to the verses that evoke the death of her son Marcellus; her brother Augustus supports her and with an imperious gesture hushes the poet, who stands at the far left of the composition. On the right, Maecenas – reaches out towards the woman, while at his side, in a soldier-like pose, General Agrippa, whose traits reveal him to resemble Napoleon.

The canvas is quite theatrical, and the painter manages the composition in groups of figures, linked together by intentionally heightened gestures.

Virgilio legge il sesto libro dell'Eneide alla corte di Augusto1.jpg

《Virgil reading the Aeneid to Augustus, Octavia and Livia》by Jean-Baptiste Wicar 

維吉爾 是奧古斯都(羅馬帝國開國皇帝)時代的古羅馬詩人。他將特洛伊的毀滅、艾尼亞斯(特洛伊英雄)的逃亡和羅馬的建立聯繫起來,寫成了震撼人心的羅馬史詩《艾尼亞斯紀》。解釋了布匿戰爭,頌揚了羅馬的傳統精神。

 法國畫家讓-巴蒂斯特·維卡爾在《維吉爾給奧古斯都、奧克塔維亞和莉維亞誦讀《埃涅阿斯紀》》中描繪了當維吉爾誦讀他的作品時,奧古斯都的姊姊奧克塔維亞被詩歌的情節深深感染,當詩人讀到她死去的兒子馬塞勒斯的名字時,  由於過度悲傷而暈倒。 畫中披紅袍的是皇帝的忠誠的朋友馬庫斯·阿格里帕,披藍袍的是皇帝的朋友也是詩人的贊助者梅塞納斯。

畫中人物:

奧古斯都-羅馬帝國開國皇帝,

莉維亞-奧古斯都的皇后,  奧克塔維亞-奧古斯都皇帝的姐姐.

馬庫斯·阿格里帕-奧古斯都皇帝的忠誠的朋友,得力將領,女婿。

梅塞納斯-奧古斯都皇帝的親密朋友。

https://www.villacarlotta.it/en/the-museum/sommariva-chamber/wicars-aeneid/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_the_Younger

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Vipsanius_Agrippa

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaio_Cilnio_Mecenate