Nemesis en Themis 1849

Julien-Léopold Boilly created this print called Nemesis and Themis, rendering in monochrome a scene of classical judgement. Made in France, its neoclassical style conjures up the art of ancient Greece and Rome. The figures are draped in classical robes, their gestures theatrical and posed. But this isn't just an exercise in historical style; it's a commentary on the artist's own time. Boilly lived through the French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon, eras of profound social and political upheaval. Themis, the goddess of divine law and order, sits enthroned. Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, drags a figure before her for judgment, while another lies prostrate at her feet. Is Boilly commenting on the need for justice and order after the chaos of revolution? Is he critiquing the Napoleonic regime, suggesting it too will face divine retribution? Art historians can consult the records of state institutions, political pamphlets, and popular journals of the time to help us understand how contemporary audiences might have interpreted this image. Only then can we start to grasp the social role that art played in the tumultuous years of post-revolutionary France.