Le Travail sous l’égide de la République amène l’abondance et la prospérité 1886

Henri Léopold Lévy's 1886 painting, "Le Travail sous l’égide de la République amène l’abondance et la prospérité," is a study for a ceiling fresco that depicts a scene of French workers celebrating the republic, with the personification of France blessing them from the sky. This allegorical work likely references the French Third Republic, established in 1870. Lévy, known for his historical and allegorical paintings, uses a dynamic composition, dynamic colors and a sense of scale to convey the strength and prosperity of the working class. The use of idealized imagery and allegory is characteristic of academic art, a style prevalent in the late 19th century.