Danaë

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Danaë: Rembrandt

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Art Type: Oil Painting
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Work Overview: Danaë
Artist Rembrandt
Year 1636
Medium Oil on canvas
Dimensions 185 cm × 203 cm (73 in × 80 in)
Style Baroque
Genre mythological painting
Location Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Danaë is Rembrandt's painting from the collection of Pierre Crozat which since the 18th century has resided in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia. It is a life-sized depiction of the character Danaë from Greek mythology, the mother of Perseus. She is presumably depicted as welcoming Zeus, who impregnated her in the form of a shower of gold. Given that this is one of Rembrandt's most magnificent paintings, it is not out of the question that he cherished it, but it also may have been difficult to sell because of its eight-by-ten-foot size.[1] Although the artist's wife Saskia was the original model for Danaë, Rembrandt later changed the figure's face to that of his mistress Geertje Dircx.

On June 15, 1985 Rembrandt's painting was attacked by Bronius Maigys (lt), a Soviet national later judged insane; he threw sulfuric acid on the canvas and cut it twice with his knife.[2] The entire central part of the composition was turned into a mixture of spots with a conglomerate of splashes and areas of dripping paint. The worst damage was to the face and hair of Danaë, her right arm, and legs.[2]

The process of restoring the painting began the same day. Following consultations with chemists, art restorers began washing the surface of the painting with water; they kept the painting in the vertical position, and sprayed water at the painting to prevent further degradation of the painting.

The restoration of the painting was accomplished between 1985 and 1997 by staff of the State Hermitage's Laboratory of Expert Restoration of Easel Paintings: Ye. N. Gerasimov (group leader), A. G. Rakhman, and G. A. Shirokov, with the participation of T. P. Alioshina in matters of scientific methodology.

Danae is a 1667 painting by Rembrandt depicting the mother of Perseus from Greek mythology. It is a large painting that is held by the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg in Russia. Catherine II purchased the painting for the museum in 1772.

Composition
The painting depicts a naked Danae, quite daring at the time, lying in bed with the bedclothes thrown back. She has her right arm raised, apparently welcoming Zeus to the bed.

The four-poster bed and objects in the foreground are shown in rich and lavish detail. Danae’s bracelets and ring are visible. A golden cherub is mounted above the head of the bed.

Rembrandt initially used his wife as the model for this painting. Ten years later, he modified the painting, substituting his mistress’ face for that of his wife.

Damage
In 1985, the painting was slashed and had acid thrown over it, causing damage to 30% of the painting. The restoration project took over two years to complete.

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