OBRAZ WALKA TELEMACHA NA IGRZYSKACH KRETEŃSKICH
THE PAINTING TELEMACHUS DEFEATS HIS OPPONENT AT THE CRETAN GAMES

AN UNKNOWN EPISODE FROM JEAN-PIERRE NORBLIN’S YOUTH?

Summary/Abstract: The painting Telemachus Defeats his Opponent at the Cretan Games from the collection of theRoyal Castle in Warsaw – Museum has long remained an unrecognized work in Jean-PierreNorblin’s oeuvre. Painted in 1771, it is a vestige of an attempt by the young artist, who had justlearned that he had been rejected from the École Royale des Elèves Protégés, a school whichprepared the best students of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris to attendthe French Academy in Rome. This rejection was the result of the school’s reorganization.The article presents the hypothesis that Norblin attempted to convince two highly placed academicofficials – Charles Natoire (1700–1777) and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (1704–1778) – ofhis talent and readiness to continue his studies in Rome. Natoire, director of the French Academyin Rome from 1751 to 1775, received a small battle painting. Lemoyne, rector of the RoyalAcademy of Painting and Sculpture from 1768–1778, received the painting Telemachus Defeatshis Opponent at the Cretan Games. The article discusses the sources and arguments forthe presented hypothesis, in the light of which the painting Telemachus Defeats his Opponentat the Cretan Games was an important work in Norblin’s artistic career, although it probably didnot meet the expectations of the painter himself.

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