1483 - 1520
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Villa Farnesina, Rome
| The nymp Galatea is riding across the waves in a chariot drawn by two dolphins, laughing at Polyphemus song.She is acompanied with other cheerful nymphs and sea gods. Although there are a lot of figures in the composition, Galatea is the figure that catches the eye : she is in the center, the red scarf distinguish her from the others, and the boys with the Cupid bows aim directly at her.The Harmony of the movement is another thing that contribute to the richness of the composition, every movement seems to answer a counter movement, every figure correspond with other one : the boys with the arrows for example, the left and the right one echo each other's movement, the one in the corner corresponds the one swimming beside the chariot, the same is with the see gods, there are two who blow on sea-shells, one is in the left side and the other on the right side of the picture, and there are two pairs of sea god and a nymph which are positioned in front and behind. It is for this supreme mastery of arranging his figures, and his skill in composition, that artists have admired Raphael ever since. |
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