Who painted The Parisian Sphinx?

The Parisian Sphinx was painted by Alfred Stevens in 1867.

Where can I see The Parisian Sphinx?

The Parisian Sphinx is held by Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

What movement is The Parisian Sphinx?

The Parisian Sphinx is associated with Symbolism.

Can I buy a print of The Parisian Sphinx?

Museum-quality prints of The Parisian Sphinx are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Parisian Sphinx

Alfred Stevens , 1867

The Parisian Sphinx is an oil painting by the Symbolist artist Alfred Stevens. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.

About this work

Overview

Alfred Stevens’ oil painting known as The Parisian Sphinx was executed in the mid‑1870s, likely between 1875 and 1877. The work presents a young woman seated in a chair, her gaze meeting the viewer’s directly. Dressed in a white dress adorned with floral motifs and a dark shawl, she rests her hand on her head, conveying a contemplative mood.

Subject & Meaning

The figure appears as a poised, aristocratic woman of the demi‑mondaine, her expression both tender and enigmatic. Contemporary commentary interprets the portrait as hinting at concealed perils behind feminine allure, aligning the sitter with the femme fatale archetype that symbolist artists often explored.

Technique & Style

Stevens blends the meticulous surface treatment associated with Dutch masters such as Vermeer with a nascent symbolist sensibility. The painting’s luminous handling of light and shadow creates a three‑dimensional presence, while the careful rendering of textures, fabric, skin, and hair, coexists with an ambiguous, almost poetic atmosphere.

History & Provenance

Since its creation, The Parisian Sphinx has remained in Belgium, entering the permanent collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The museum acquired the work as part of its 19th‑century holdings, where it continues to be displayed among other examples of Stevens’ oeuvre.

Context

The work reflects a transitional moment in European art, where the realism of earlier Dutch painting intersected with the emerging Symbolist movement. Stevens, a Belgian expatriate active in Paris, absorbed both the technical precision of his Netherlandish heritage and the era’s fascination with psychological depth and hidden meanings.