Existing comment:
Noel Halle
Antiochus Falling from His Chariot, ca 1738
According to the book of Maccabees, the Syrian king Antiochus set out to storm Jerusalem, ordering his charioteer to "drive without ceasing." During the journey, the king suddenly became ill and fell from his chariot -- a turn of events interpreted as an act of divine vengeance.
In this painting, soldiers support the fallen king. The diagonal gestures, sketchy faces, robust highlights, and smooth passages of color give an impression of swift action.
Noel Halle came from a family of history painters. This picture is his earliest known work, painted during his first years at the French Academy in Rome. It was originally one of a pair; the other, now in a private collection in France, is entitled Antiochus after the Fall, Dictating His Will. The painting's virile subject matter and its solid, relieflife style represent an important alternative to the dominant Rococo style of the time and anticipate the reforms of the Neoclassical Movement later in the century. |