Jupiter, Disguised as a Shepherd, Seducing Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory

Jacob de Wit (signed by artist), 1727

The subjects for this painting and its pendant (right of the mantelpiece) come from the Metamorphoses, famous stories by the Roman author Ovid. In both scenes, Jupiter, king of the gods, disguised himself in order to seduce a maiden. Here, he is seen as a shepherd courting Mnemosyne. In the other painting, he passes himself off as Diana, goddess of the hunt, in order to charm her nymph Callisto.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-3886
  • Dimensionsheight 240 cm x width 205 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on canvas

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Identification

  • Title(s)

    Jupiter, Disguised as a Shepherd, Seducing Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-3886

  • Description

    Jupiter en Mnemosyne. In een landschap maakt Jupiter, vermomd als een herder, Mnemosyne het hof. Zijn attribuut, een adelaar, vliegt boven het tafereel. Links putti met de kudde schapen. Behoort bij SK-A-3885. Onderdeel van een kamerdecoratie geschilderd in opdracht van Jan Baptist de Surmont, heer van Vlooswijk, voor zijn huis te Loenen aan de Vecht.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    signature and date, centre right: ‘JdWit 1727’ JdWit 1727

Creation

  • Creation

    • painter: Jacob de Wit (signed by artist)
    • commissioner (person who orders works): Jan Baptist de Surmont van Vlooswijk

  • Dating

    1727

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on canvas

  • Dimensions

    height 240 cm x width 205 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

  • Place

Acquisition and rights

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1955-01

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    Inv.; …; Commissioned by Jan Baptist de Surmont, Lord van Vlooswijk en Cromwijk (1688-1745), Loenen aan de Vecht and Amsterdam, for his house in Loenen aan de Vecht;{Mandle 1975, p. 17} his widow, Margaretha Catharina Cromhout (1688-1755), Loenen aan de Vecht and Amsterdam; her daughter, Elisabeth Louise de Surmont van Vlooswijk (1725-1779), Amsterdam;{Te Rijdt 1997, p. 62, note 5.};…; the house, Loenen aan de Vecht, was demolished before 1837; … ; purchased from the dealer John Bell of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, by the dealer D.A. Hoogendijk, Amsterdam, 1954;{RKD, The Hague, inv. no. 460, Kunsthandel D.A. Hoogendijk Archive, no. OS 1621a-b.} from whom, fl. 7,500, with SK-A-3886, to the museum, 1955

  • Remarks

    Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

  • R.J.A. te Rijdt, 'Miscellenea 3', Delineavit et Sculpsit 17 (1997), p. 60-62.

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