Le Dévouement des Citoyennes de Paris (The Dedication of the Citizens of Paris)
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
49.9 × 61.3 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
2022.40
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
male
About this artwork
Painted during the French Revolution’s treacherous Reign of Terror, the artist took inspiration from an actual event. In 1789, wives and daughters of several prominent artists donated their jewelry to the service of the young French republic. Joseph-Benoit Suvée recasts the event in classical Roman style, underscoring the connection between the ancient republic and France’s revolutionary ambitions.