Nantes, La Chapelle de l'Oratoire temporary exhibition - Henry-Pierre Picou et les Néo-Grecs - The 12th of January 2014 (afternoon)

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Because of the Museum of Beaux Arts being closed for expansion works several exhibitions have been recently held at the 450 square metre space pertaining to the Chapelle de l'Oratoire. I decided therefore to see the temporary exhibition which was currently being held - Henri-Pierre Picou et les Néo-Grecs unaware that I would spend the next two hours admiring the multiple Greek mythology influenced paintings.

Not only did I find the exhibition very interesting but also the fact that beside each painting there was valuable information in regards to the mythological aspects of the various paintings, as well as detailed information on unique aspects of the paintings themselves, such as the self representation of the painters (Jean-Léon Gêrome as a tchegour player in the "Prisoner" with Charles Gleyre, his master teacher as prisoner or Jean Louis Hamon as the sky observer with the telescope in "L'escamoteur") not to mention other peculiarities which allowed us, as visitors, to get a deeper understanding of the paintings and the implications of the artists in them.

Zeuxis choisissant ses modèles (detail) - 1858 by Victor Mottez (1809-1897) on the left and Antiochus et Stratonice - 1866 by Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) on the right.

The next four paintings by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904).

Tête de femme coiffée de cornes de bélier -1853 (left) and Le Prisonier - 1861 (right).

Anacréon, Bacchus et l'Amour - 1848 (left) and Jeunes Grecs faisant battre les coqs -1846 (right)

The following two by Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888).

 Ulysse reconnu par sa nourice Euriclée - 1849

Le bain; après le bain - 1867

 Sapho jouant la lyre - 1849 by Léopold Burthe (1823-1860)

The following two by Jean-Louis Hamon (1821-1874)

 Le triste rivage - 1873

L'escamoteur; le quart d'heure de Rabelais - 1861

And the last three by the Nantais painter Henri-Pierre Picou (1824-1895).

 La Stix - 1849

Vénus marine et Flore lutinée par des zéphyrs - 1849 (left) and La naissance de Pindare - 1848 (right).

By the time I walked out of the Chapelle de l'Oratoire I was feeling slightly feverish and though I might still have had time to do something else as far as visits were concerned decided to go back to the hotel instead, hoping the cold wouldn't soon develop into flu.