Le Dévouement des Citoyennes de Paris (The Dedication of the Citizens of Paris)

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.