A sleeping woman in antique garment. The wet nurse of Alcyone.
Historical Context
A sleeping woman in classical drapery, identified as the wet nurse of Alcyone from Ovid"s Metamorphoses, appears in this 1813 painting at the Thorvaldsen Museum, created during Eckersberg"s Parisian period under David. The classical subject reflects the Davidian emphasis on history painting from ancient literary sources. Eckersberg studied the sleeping figure with the analytical precision David demanded. Eckersberg's mythological paintings belong to his Parisian period under David, when the Neoclassical emphasis on heroic subjects from ancient history and literature dominated academic training.
Technical Analysis
The sleeping figure in classical drapery demonstrates Eckersberg"s absorption of Davidian figure painting—precise anatomy, controlled drapery arrangement, and clear directional lighting. The palette is restrained, with the white and gray of the classical garment providing the dominant tones against a neutral background. The handling shows the discipline of David"s studio training.
