Meaning in Antoine Caron’s Work

“Caesar Augustus and the Tiburtine Sybil”

Apr 8, 2007

Antoine Caron - Late Renaissance painter - shows Christ as the successor to the Roman Empire and owes his inspiration to Classical ideals of ancient Roman art.

Painter Antoine Caron (1521-1599) was the appointed court painter to Catherine de Medici. His work, distinctive for its brilliant colors and strange architectural forms, was based on French court life and festivities.

His painting, “Caesar Augustus and the Tiburtine Sibyl” (1580), shows the French court staging an opulent festival on the banks of the River Seine within a bizarre landscape dotted with antique columns and circular temples. Caron painted the work during the Renaissance with a style that is both artificial and attentive to detail.

Several scenes are going on at once. In the left background, knights can be seen jousting. On the right, a barge is carrying musicians and singers toward the shore. The majority of the figures are watching a play performed by people in Roman costume. It is believed that Caron is depicting the play “Mystery of the Incarnation and Birth of Our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.” In the foreground one of the key scenes is being played out: the Roman Emperor Augustus, wearing a purple cloak and kneeling on the stage while three of his soldiers look on, meets the wise Sybil of Tibur, a Roman prophetess from the Etruscan town of Tibur (now known as Tivoli), shown in a blue gown and holding a book in her hand. This mythical meeting between Caesar Augustus and the Sibyl, whom he asks whether he should be worshiped as a god, was a popular theme with Christian artists. Upon his asking her what is the fate of his empire, she points at the sky where the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus appear surrounded by angels. Thus she shows the pagan ruler that Christ will be his successor.

The painting’s theme is in keeping with the times. Anything Roman or Greek was of immense interest to the people of the Renaissance. Additionally, the strong religious theme would please the Christian dominance over political and artistic life.

The true center of interest in this painting is the rather large female figure smack in the middle of the canvas, dressed in a pink gown and with her hand draped on a nearby banister. This is Catherine de Medici, born in Florence and married to the duke of Orleans who became king of France in 1547 as Henry II. Catherine came into some power for more than twenty years in the troubled times of the Reformation after her husband became badly wounded. She then served as advisor in the role of Queen Mother to her three, admittedly weak, king sons. Presumably she is the force behind the creation of this painting.

Catherine de Medici held festivals, like the one skillfully represented here, to display the power of the French court and also to keep the warring Catholic and Protestant factions occupied. It is said that she kept them busy with feasts, balls, and masquerade parties, even organizing snowball fights between the two groups. Tournaments might be held, as well, to allow the nobles to work off their aggression.

The festival setting allowed the painter to show the royal family in the glory they so desired. The Classical setting allows the monarchs to be associated with the gods. The king would be portrayed as the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. The circular temple, designed after ancient Roman temples, shows the king’s fame. The black obelisk next to it serves as a monument to the king’s glory. The dark buildings in the center show the brand new royal palace built for Catherine, the Queen Mother, on the site of a tilery, or the famous “Tuilerie.” The twin-gabled building is another royal hall, the Louvre. Off to the right past the Seine can be seen the buildings of Paris.

Considering all the elements of the painting, it is a strange mix of symbolism, ancient Roman ideology, and a magical sense of French history. The painting today hangs in the Louvre in Paris.

Source:

Hagen, Rose-Marie & Rainer. What Great Paintings Say: Old Masters in Detail. Cologne: Benedikt Tasche, 2000.

The copyright of the article Meaning in Antoine Caron’s Work in Renaissance Art is owned by Suzanne Hill. Permission to republish Meaning in Antoine Caron’s Work in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.