Friné perante o Areópago
c. 1816-1820
According to ancient legend, the famous courtesan Phryné was put on trial for impiety, and her defender Hyperides (the man gesturing dramatically) ripped off her robe to reveal her breathtaking beauty. He argued that such divine perfection could not possibly be guilty, leaving the bearded judges utterly stunned into acquitting her on the spot. Jacques-Louis David, the ultimate master of Neoclassicism, sketched this juicy historical moment during his exile in Brussels around 1816. You can almost feel the tension in the room as the judges gawk and Phryné stands there with a calm, almost defiant smile, knowing she's already won.
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