Anahita: A Study for "The Flight of Night"
Anahita, the Persian goddess of the moon and the night, is the central figure in this study for one of two murals that Hunt painted for the New York State Capitol in Albany in 1878. The murals, which were done directly on sandstone, quickly deteriorated from dampness. The decision to conceal the murals by constructing a wooden ceiling below them was made during the winter of 1887–88, and they remain hidden from view until this day. Hunt first began to study this subject in 1847. The treatment and composition both seem to have been inspired by his early mentor, Thomas Couture. See also 11.34.1.
Artwork Details
- Title:Anahita: A Study for "The Flight of Night"
- Artist:William Morris Hunt (American, Brattleboro, Vermont 1824–1879 Appledore, New Hampshire)
- Date:1878
- Culture:American
- Medium:Oil on canvas
- Dimensions:37 x 25 1/2 in. (94 x 64.8 cm)
- Credit Line:Rogers Fund, 1911
- Object Number:11.34.2
- Curatorial Department: The American Wing
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