Love Ordering Chaos
XVIII century. Pencil ground, Grey-brown wash, Brush on laid paper.Not on display
This drawing depicts Love, a winged adolescent, with a dart in his left hand and flying towards a lake of fire. Behind him, amongst clouds, are Abundance (?) with the cornucopia, and Peace (?) with a helmet, staff and olive branch. This is a copy of an engraving by Dorigny from 1651. Dorigny’s engraving replicates one of the paintings by Simon Vouet that decorates the gallery of the Hotel Segnier in Paris. The Albertina in Vienna keeps the preparatory drawing for Dorigny’s engraving. The characteristically Valencian graphic style of this drawing and its accompanying pieces (D002019, D002021, D002023 and D002024) is very similar to the drawings signed by Ximeno y Planes and some of those by Vicente López in his early career. Pérez Sánchez tentatively attributes it to Ximeno.
Both this drawing and its companions are undoubtedly apprenticeship exercises, probably done at a very young age and in an academic environment. It is curious to see this preference for Vouet, who was also known and studied by Goya, as has often been observed.
Pérez Sánchez, Alfonso E., Catálogo de Dibujos. Vol. III. Dibujos Españoles Siglo XVIII. C-Z, Madrid, Ministerio de Cultura, 1977, p.110-111
