Innocence Prefers Love to Riches
Pierre Paul Prud'hon
1799–1809
- Medium
- Oil on panel
- Dimensions
- 34.3 × 27.2 cm (13 1/2 × 10 9/16 in.); Framed: 44.5 × 37.2 cm (17 1/2 × 14 5/8 in.)
- Genre
- painting
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
oil paintings (visual works)paintingnineteenth century19th centurypaintarchitecturearchitechturearrowsjewelryoil on panelplant materialfrenchnudeswaterlovepanel paintingwingsoil paint (paint)painting (image making)painting techniquescupidsbuildingwood (plant material)manwomenorganic materialoil paintingtreespanel (wood)european paintingwealthSketchgold (color)Nature
About
In this allegorical painting, a personification of Innocence at center signals her preference for Love, represented as a cupid, over Riches, taking the form of a woman in lavish Grecian robes and offering a chest of golden baubles. Pierre-Paul Prud’hon complicated this straightforward parable by manipulating the figures’ postures: while Innocence embraces Love, she gazes longingly over her shoulder at Riches, inviting viewers to wonder about the finality of her decision. Prud’hon created this preparatory sketch for a larger painting to be completed by his collaborator and friend, Constance Mayer, who was known for her portraits and allegorical scenes.
