The Fiancée of Belus
| The Fiancee of Belus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Henri-Paul Motte |
| Year | 1885 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 178 cm × 122 cm (70 in × 48 in) |
| Location | Musée d'Orsay, Paris |
The Fiancée of Belus (French: La fiancée de Bélus) is a painting by French artist Henri-Paul Motte based on a fanciful Babylonian ritual associated with the deity Belus (Bel). According to that ritual, Bel was offered a girl who sat on the lap of the Bel's statue overnight, and then was replaced by another, all of whom were the winners of daily beauty contests.[1] Motte cited as a reference the Greek historian Herodotus,[2] but the related quote was later found to be invented.[1] The Fiancee of Belus features oversized, Academic style.[1] To recreate the interior of the Babylonian temple, Motte copied the Greek temple in Olympia, while the sculpture is inspired by Lamassu.[1]
In 2013, the painting was acquired by the Musée d'Orsay where it is presently kept. It was previously housed in , near Musée d’Orsay and was exhibited at the (BRussels Art FAir) and design and art fair.[1]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Piettre, Céline (15 August 2013). "Musee D'Orsay Curator Tackles the Ultimate Taboo: Academic Art". Artinfo. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017.
- ^ Possibly Herodotus: "LacusCurtius • Herodotus - Book I: Chapters 178–216". penelope.uchicago.edu. Chapters 181–182. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
External links[]
- Paintings in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay
- Religious paintings
- 1885 paintings
- Lions in art
- Nude art