The Fiancée of Belus | Henri Paul Motte | 1885 16th Century The scene reflects Goya’s dark

The scene reflects Goya’s dark view of human folly

The composition as a whole underscores Augustine’s identity as both a devoted scholar and an ardent seeker of divine truth

He made sketches using both pencil and watercolour in two sketchbooks from different vantage points

with the contrasts of light and shadow adding to the sense of mysterious and ominous atmosphere in the scene

The Fiancée of Belus | Henri Paul Motte | 1885 16th Century The scene reflects Goya’s dark"The Fiance of Belus" (1885) by Henri Paul Motte is a dramatic and imaginative historical painting that depicts a fictional ritual in ancient Babylon. At the center sits a colossal statue of the god Belus (Bel), into whose lap a nude young woman the supposed "fiance" is placed on a golden cushion as part of a ceremonial offering. The somber, stone walled temple is shrouded in shadow, with figures in priestly robes receding into the background, and