Sleeping Nymph

Rococo fun

A sleeping naked nymph or maenad, inspired by part of a small sculpture group by Étienne-Maurice Falconet (1716-1791). A little experiment in Rococo. Rococo reaches the parts other art cannot reach.

She is probably a maenad or bacchante, because you can see the empty wine jug, and the shell from which she has been drinking. I don't think she drunk too much, because otherwise she wouldn't be smiling. Also she left a little wine in her drinking shell. It was a wonderful party though. She looks as though it wouldn't take all that much to wake her up again.

Oil painting on prepared MDF board, 10x12 inches (in barbarian measure: 255x305mm), 2004. The little square details are larger than actual size.
Click for an animation to see how this painting was made. You may click on the picture for a bigger version - 1024x768 pixels (148K) - usable as free desktop wallpaper. Then (Windows) right-click on the image and click on 'set as wallpaper'. Mac users (OS9) download image to disk by dragging onto the desktop or other open folder, then use the 'appearance' option under 'control panels' in the Apple menu. See my copyright notice for restrictions of use. Do not download this picture in any country or jurisdiction where art is not appreciated, or anywhere where the beauty made by God to remind us of higher worlds is regarded as unclean, in other words, places ruled by heretics with bad thoughts.
Click for the preliminary sketch.

These images are all copyright (c) Martin Dace 2004. The images on this page may be used for free desktop wallpaper, but may not be sold on or otherwise distributed for profit unless with written authorisation from Martin Dace. Please ask for permission if you want to use them in any other context. All rights reserved.