Semiramus Inspecting a Plan of Babylon 1750 - 1811

This black chalk drawing by Jean Simon Berthélemy depicts the legendary queen Semiramus of Assyria inspecting a plan of the city of Babylon. The drawing, made between 1750 and 1811, features a group of figures surrounding a large, unfurled scroll likely representing the plan. Semiramus is positioned prominently, her gesture and expression suggesting her authority as a powerful ruler. This artwork, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, exemplifies the Neoclassical style popular in 18th-century France, characterized by its emphasis on historical subjects and its idealized portrayal of human figures.