Description
The satirical target of this unruly lithograph is Jacques-Louis David’s final history painting, Mars Disarmed by Venus and the Three Graces (1824; Royal Museums of Fine Arts, Brussels). The god of war in David’s composition has been transformed into a weary French officer, the nubile goddesses into prostitutes pilfering his battle gear, and the classical, cloud-borne couch into a cheap brothel. As an additional insult, the sign at right offers “Bierre de Mars,” a spring brew rumored to inspire military volunteers.
Accession Number
40085
Medium
Lithograph in black on white wove paper
Dimensions
25.7 × 39.4 cm (10 1/8 × 15 9/16 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Credit Line
John H. Wrenn Memorial Collection