The Palace of Aurora

About this artwork

Henri Fantin-Latour's *The Palace of Aurora*1902) is a captivating oil on canvas painting, measuring a intimate 18 1/8 x 15 inches, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art European Paintings collection. Created in the final years of the artist's life (1836–1904), this work reflects Fantin-Latour's late-career fascination with mythological reverie, departing from his earlier realist portraits and still lifes. Drawing inspiration from classical antiquity, the title evokes Aurora, the Roman goddess of, in a dreamlike palace scene populated by graceful female nudes and playful putti—cherubic figures symbolizing innocence and joy. Fantin-Latour's meticulous technique shines here, with luminous brushwork and soft, glowing light that bathes the figures in an ethereal haze, reminiscent of 18th-century French masters like Ingres. The small scale invites close contemplation, emphasizing the painting's sensual harmony and poetic escape from reality. This piece captures the fin-de-siècle blend of realism and fantasy, offering viewers a serene portal to an idyllic, otherworldly realm where beauty and mythology intertwine. A bequest from Anne D. Thomson in 1923 ensures its place among treasures celebrating European artistic tradition.