For a contemporary spectator the storylines of many works of old master are difficult to understand. Such riddle is the painting Seducer by Austrian artist Adam Braun. At first glance, everything seems to be quite clear. The scene of seduction is depicted — an old man seduces a young beautiful lady.
The dialogue of gestures is very expressive: the man points to a pile of coined gold while the lady refuses.
However, a set of details testifies of a different angle. Thus, a door of the cage with a bird symbolizing female reputation is already opened. Near a pile of coins is a golden helm. The sculptural décor on the helm confirms the victory of vice — Devil sitting atop a lioness that embodies sensuality and triumphant witch with a triumph ribbon. The helm is put on backwards, the fact that further highlights the abnormality, ‘inversion’ of the situation. Below, on the bas-relief is a motive of kid’s bacchanalia traditionally symbolizing fornication and lust. Paintings with storylines of erotic tint — love games, scenes of seduction — invariably drew the attention of spectators. Thus artists of all times liked to depict them. Such images should serve as warning — prevent innocent girls from approaching dangers. Therefore, artists managed to kill two birds in this manner — to please the clients willingly buying paintings with such storylines and to make a noble cause.
Adam Braun was a famous restorer of paintings. He scrupulously studied the style and artistic technique of old Dutch masters. Сreating own works, he as if competes with them in terms of virtuosity. The picture was painted on a copper plate — a basis which is hardly “to connect” with a picturesque layer, however, the artist manages to cope with such a challenging task. He was able to convey tenderness of virginal skin, softness and fluffiness of fur, peculiarities of light effects — and on soft velvet and on rough silk and on each tiny detail of the image. The elegant style of Adam Braun was highly appraised by his contemporaries. Among his admirers was Russian Ambassador in Vienna Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1721-1793), one of the most famous Russian collectors. He often visited Braun’s workshop and purchased ‘freshly painted’ works. Thus Seducer created by Braun in 1783 appeared in his collection. The collection of Dmitry Mikhailovich became an essential part of Golitsyn museum founded by his successor.
Adam Braun was a famous restorer of paintings. He scrupulously studied the style and artistic technique of old Dutch masters. Сreating own works, he as if competes with them in terms of virtuosity. The picture was painted on a copper plate — a basis which is hardly “to connect” with a picturesque layer, however, the artist manages to cope with such a challenging task. He was able to convey tenderness of virginal skin, softness and fluffiness of fur, peculiarities of light effects — and on soft velvet and on rough silk and on each tiny detail of the image. The elegant style of Adam Braun was highly appraised by his contemporaries. Among his admirers was Russian Ambassador in Vienna Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn (1721-1793), one of the most famous Russian collectors. He often visited Braun’s workshop and purchased ‘freshly painted’ works. Thus Seducer created by Braun in 1783 appeared in his collection. The collection of Dmitry Mikhailovich became an essential part of Golitsyn museum founded by his successor.
However, Princes Golitsyns were not only amateurs and connoisseurs of art; they considered charity as their chief public duty. A free public hospital was opened in 1802 in Moscow at the expense of the legacy of Dmitry Mikhailovich. Its maintenance required significant investments, and in 1885 the collection of paintings, agglomerated by many generations of princely dynasty of Golitsyns was sold out to the Emperor Hermitage. And in 1887, by the order of Emperor Alexander III, this ‘elegant thing’ was gifted to the Radishchev Museum.
