Semiramis Building Babylon by Degas

Probing the profound depths of ancient history and traditional academic painting, the young realist painter Degas Edgar undertakes an ambitious fresco in “Semiramis Building Babylon”. This truly monumental work bears witness to his early desire to renew the old genre of historical composition through highly rigorous observation. The artist masterfully combines complex architectural motifs and a naturalistic treatment of figures to resurrect a legendary grandeur of the past.

The composition is organized on an elevated terrace overlooking a wide river valley where the city under construction can be seen. On the left, the queen stands in profile in a long, pristine white gown, her gaze directed toward the distance. She is surrounded by her retinue of maidservants dressed in dark and red draperies. In the center, a young attendant kneels near a basket of fresh flowers. On the right, a large brown horse in profile stands still in front of a wooden chariot, while silhouettes of men in togas busy themselves in the shadows. The light is bright and diffuse, wrapping the scene in a fresco-like softness.

The technical excellence of the artist is revealed in the remarkably precise draftsmanship and the mastery of large oil formats. Edgar Degas structures the space with a keen sense of perspective and uses delicate glazes to modulate the transparency of the fabrics and the nobility of the flesh.