Frédéric La Guillermie (1841-1934), Watercolor, Orientalism, Voltaire's Tale, Babylon, Lion

A student of Flameng and Bouguereau, the painter and draftsman Frédéric Auguste La Guillermie (1841-1934) created this illustration for *The Princess of Babylon*, a philosophical tale written by Voltaire in 1768. It depicts Amazan, the hero, fighting in the arena at the beginning of the story. This watercolor, signed and dated 1878, showcases La Guillermie's full talent: the intensity of the moment, the realism of the characters and the lion, and the dramatic tension of the scene. Winner of the Prix de Rome in 1866, he continued to receive awards and prizes throughout his career. This beautiful watercolor is very well framed in a lovely natural wood frame (dimensions: 46 x 36.5 cm), which modernizes it and showcases it superbly.