Who painted Anacreon?

Anacreon was painted by Jean Jacques II Lagrenée.

Where can I see Anacreon?

Anacreon is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Anacreon?

Anacreon is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Anacreon

Jean Jacques II Lagrenée

Anacreon is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean Jacques II Lagrenée. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Jean‑Jacques II Lagrenée’s print titled Anacreon, executed around 1782, is an etching combined with aquatint and lift‑ground aquatint on laid paper. The work is rendered in monochrome brown tones and is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a densely packed, tumultuous gathering of nude figures, some winged, others engaged in music or song. Their bodies intertwine in a frenzied manner, suggesting a mythic revelry or bacchanalian celebration, while a vague urban backdrop with a bridge recedes into the distance, adding a sense of ambiguous setting.

Technique & Style

Lagrenée employed a hybrid of etching and two forms of aquatint to achieve layered, velvety shading. The lift‑ground method creates soft, diffused areas that contrast with the sharper, ink‑drawn lines, producing a dream‑like atmosphere where forms emerge from smudged brown and gray tones rather than bright color.

History & Provenance

Created in the late eighteenth century, Anacreon entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific acquisition details are not recorded in the source). The print reflects Lagrenée’s late‑period interest in classical themes rendered through printmaking techniques popular in France at the time.

Context

During the 1780s, French artists often revisited ancient poets and mythic subjects, aligning with the Enlightenment’s fascination with antiquity. Lagrenée, known for his decorative paintings, applied his painterly sensibility to print media, using the tonal possibilities of aquatint to evoke the fleeting, ecstatic mood associated with the poet Anacreon’s lyrical legacy.