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The Fiancée of Belus

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The Fiancee of Belus
ArtistHenri-Paul Motte
Year1885
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions178 cm × 122 cm (70 in × 48 in)
LocationMusée 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 Galerie Vincent Lecuyer, near Musée d’Orsay and was exhibited at the BRAFA [nl; fr] (BRussels Art FAir) and PAD Paris design and art fair.[1]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Possibly Herodotus: "LacusCurtius • Herodotus - Book I: Chapters 178–216". penelope.uchicago.edu. Chapters 181–182. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
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