Invocation À Neptune 1866

"Invocation À Neptune" (1866) by Jean Lecomte du Nouÿ, housed in the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille, is a dramatic depiction of a ritualistic scene. The painting features a group of figures, including a woman in white robes holding a child and offering a wreath to a shadowy figure holding a trident, likely Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. The scene suggests a plea or offering to the god, possibly for safe passage or a successful voyage. The dramatic lighting and the figures' focused expressions create a sense of solemn and intense prayer. This artwork is a compelling example of 19th-century French academic painting, demonstrating the artist's skill in depicting historical and mythological subjects with detail and emotional weight.