Can you tell me anything about this picture?

http://membres.lycos.fr/dbky/Apteryx/wtf.jpg

Is it a reproduction of something you recognize?  Is it similar to or
in the style of something you can identify?  Can you shed any light on
it?

Thank you,
Archae0pteryx

---

Clarification of Question by archae0pteryx-ga on 12 Jul 2004 20:49 PDT

A little more information, if it helps:

This is a photo of a wall painting.  The setting is pseudo-French. 
The reproduction was probably not rendered at a level of skill equal
to whatever it was copied from (unless it was some sort of photo
reproduction).  I am wondering if it is a copy of a piece of known
art, and if so, what; or, if not a copy, then what it is supposed to
resemble.

Part of the reason for the question was that some viewers thought the
picture was overtly sexual.  I wasn't so sure.  I wasn't so sure that
there was only one explanation for the poses.

Scriptor, thanks for the hint.  I went to half a dozen Pompeii
websites and looked at all the photos.  There are certainly some that
loosely resemble this, so I see what you mean.  No duplicate, though.

Answerfinder, thanks for the lead on putti, which seems to be correct.
 You also did great to pick out the sphinx; it's there, all right, but
I hadn't seen it.

Archae0pteryx

It appears to me that this is a depiction of Putti playing. In the
background is a typical Renaissance view of classical architecture.
Putti are normally show with tiny wings, but in some depictions they
can be shown without. Putti appeared in European art through many
centuries.
http://www.loggia.com/art/renaissance/putti.html

There are some aspects of this picture (is it a print?) which I cannot
interpret. It may be allegorical, the object on the right has an image
of the sphinx on it.
http://www.sphinx-egypt.com/greek_mythology.htm

Perhaps another researcher can provide the answer.

answerfinder-ga

I feel reminded of some ancient Roman wall paintings I saw in books on
Pompeii. But I am not really sure. Perhaps a visit at the library on
Monday will help. Maybe one of my colleagues has an idea?

Scriptor

answerfinder-ga wrote:
"There are some aspects of this picture (is it a print?) which I cannot
interpret. It may be allegorical, the object on the right has an image
of the sphinx on it."

Perhaps instead we are actually seeing an etching of Pegasus?