Omphale

Resting heavily against an upright support, her cocked hip emphasizing the curve of her body, the Lydian queen Omphale is sensual and ideally proportioned; however, Jean-Léon Gérôme also took great pride in accuracy. He took photographs of his model next to the sculpture for which this is a preparatory sketch. The Lydian queen wears the lion skin of Hercules, whom she had bought as a slave. He was sold by the gods as punishment for killing his friend.