Artwork
Huntresses Resting
Huntresses Resting is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Livio Mehus. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Overview
Huntresses Resting is a 17th-century oil painting created by Flemish artist Livio Mehus around 1650, during the early Baroque period. The work features two female hunters and a dog in a serene wooded setting, capturing a moment of rest.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts two huntresses at leisure, one reclining in a white dress and blue shawl, the other seated in a white dress and red shawl, accompanied by a dog approaching from the right. The scene conveys a sense of pause from hunting activities, emphasizing tranquility.
Technique & Style
Mehus employed warm colors and soft lighting in oil paint to achieve a calm and serene atmosphere, characteristic of his approach to mythological and allegorical themes.
History & Provenance
Created while Mehus served as court painter to Prince Mattias de' Medici in Florence, Italy, the painting reflects his association with the Medici court during his active period in 17th-century Italy.
Context
As a Flemish artist working in Italy, Mehus's style in *Huntresses Resting* blends Northern European attention to detail with Italian Baroque sensibilities, evident in the composition and use of light.
Legacy
While specific details on the painting's direct impact are not highlighted, *Huntresses Resting* contributes to the broader understanding of Mehus's oeuvre and the artistic exchange between Flemish and Italian Baroque traditions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Lieven Mehus or Livio Mehus (1630, in Oudenaarde – 7 August 1691, in Florence) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and engraver of the Baroque period, who trained and worked in Italy.
