This is the first in a series of 12 paintings by Joseph Highmore illustrating scenes from Samuel Richardson’s best-selling sentimental novel Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded. The story, first published in 1740–1, centers on the virtuous lady’s maid Pamela Andrews. She repeatedly rebuffs, then reforms and finally marries her aristocratic would be seducer, Mr B. Scene I is set in a comfortable, paneled study of a well-to-do house. Its solid, old-fashioned furniture and a picture of The Good Samaritan over the fireplace underline the traditional values of the heroine.
Possibly Cupid Preparing Venus for an Amorous Encounter with Mars
Artist: Antonio Zucchi, RA (Italian, 1726-1796)
Date: c. 1773
Medium: Oil on canvas
Collection: National Trust Collections, London, United Kingdom
Description
Classical scene two women, Venus and a maidservant holding a suit of armour, and with Cupid undoing Venus's buskin. Mars, who is not to be seen has already taken off his slippers and armour, and Venus is pointing to the bed.
Collection: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, United States
Description
Pieter de Hooch excelled in the sensitive depiction of people going about their daily lives, be it inside their houses or in the sheltered environment of an urban courtyard. His masterly control of light, color, and complex perspectival construction can be compared to the work of Johannes Vermeer, his contemporary and colleague in Delft.
The old town wall of Delft forms the rear wall of a courtyard in which a maidservant, carrying a jug and a laundry basket, and a small child holding a birdcage make their way to the water pump. A woman and two men enjoy some red wine in the classically inspired arbor against the back wall. The same arbor, wall, and steps occur in two other De Hooch paintings, but the variations in composition confirm that the artist freely altered the architectural elements. It is unlikely that the courtyard scenes represent an actual location, but they are clearly based on views from the backyards of the houses on the west side of the Oude Gracht in Delft where De Hooch and his family are thought to have resided.
Imagine being a maidservant to Loki, as well as his dearest and most trusted friend. He is kinder to you than most of the royals are to their staff, and even seems to give you special treatment. Like giving you gifts and doing small favors for you.
It’s certainly raised eyebrows at times. Some servants have whispered amongst themselves about it, but no one would dare let it get back to you or anyone in the royal family. Especially Loki.
By the time Loki (publicly) takes the throne, the gossips of Asgard have gotten gradually less and less careful.
Since you’re still Loki’s handmaiden, rumors still circulate. You haven’t heard them yourself, but you have seen the weird looks from other servants. Judgmental looks from older women. Envious looks from younger women. Crude looks from men.
You pull aside one of the girls from the kitchen staff and ask her what’s with the glares you keep getting. She tells you she would do no such thing, “but people do talk, ma’am.”
“And just what is that supposed to mean?”
Frightened, she gives you a vague explanation about how the other servants talk about how Loki seems to show you preferential treatment and nobody knows why.
You’re either horrified or devasated, but you can’t quite decide which.
One thing’s for sure: you have to find Loki and ask him if he knows about this. Ask him what to do.
In one of the hallways, a young woman whose job is to polish the throne room floor rushes to you and quietly asks if Loki is “as good as he looks like he would be. I won’t tell anyone, I swear!”
“Are you the one who started that rumor?!”
“N-No! I just heard—!”
“You heard wrong. Who told you that?”
“I... I don’t know her name.”
You shove her aside and run. You don’t care where. You just have to find Loki before the burning-hot tears fall.
He’s in his study, tucked away in its own suite within his chambers.
“(Name)! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“No. Well, sort of. But not like that...”
You tell him what’s going on, and that you don’t know who started the rumors to begin with.
All you know is it hurts that you’re thought of in that way.
Loki seethes in silence for a moment.
“Loki?”
“I’ll kill them,” he finally says.
“What?! Don’t you think that’s a bit—?”
“Extreme? No. No, it’s not. I have no use for anyone who disrespects you, (Name). I will gladly make an example of them, and violence is not out of the question.”
His answer chills you to the bone.
“But... why? And why have you been so kind to me, anyway?”
Loki brushes away your tears with his thumb, a gentle smile on his face. “Because I love you.”
