The Paris Sfinks

The Parisian Sphinx is an oil-on-canvas painting by Belgian artist Alfred Stevens, created between 1875 and 1877. It features a dreamy young woman delicately resting her head on her hand, embodying a subtle blend of Dutch Genre painting realism and Symbolist influences. The work reflects Stevens' admiration for the Netherlandish old masters like Vermeer, while also embodying the Symbolist movement's emphasis on mood and suggestion. Contrasting the superficial qualities of Dutch realism with the emerging Symbolist style, it diverges from the bottom-up, pluralistic Romanticism, offering a refined and harmonious aesthetic. Currently, it resides in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp.