Artemisia Building the Mausolaeum, Simon Vouet, early 1640s

The painting tells the story of how queen artemisia of caria in asia minor supposedly ordered the building of the mausolaeum at halicarnassus in memory of her husband, mausolus (352 b. C. ) the queen is said to have mixed mausolus’ ashes with liquid, which she drank. She thus comes to symbolise a widow’s devotion. Vouet depicts the strongly idealised figures in a classical architectural setting, using venetian colour and light. Form and content harmonise. Object Type: painting. Date: early 1640s. Dimensions: height: 161 cm (63.3 in); width: 139 cm (54.7 in); Framed: height: 150 cm (59 in); width: 173 cm (68.1 in); depth: 12 cm (4.7 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Nationalmuseum. Artemisia Building the Mausolaeum (Simon Vouet) - Nationalmuseum - 22229FXD