Oval Dish with the Whore of Babylon

Martial Courteys

National Gallery of Art

This is an oval dish with ornate designs painted on it. The center of the dish features a scene with a woman riding a fantastical creature with multiple long necks ending in heads with horns and sharp teeth. The creature is in shades of purple and green, with tufts of white hair. The woman on its back is dressed in a draping blue and red garment that exposes her breasts. She has pale skin and wears an ornate headdress and several necklaces. She is looking to the left, one hand holding an oval object aloft. On the left, groups of men kneel in front of her, raising their arms out to her. Some wear crowns or religious garb. The background presents a green landscape with trees and what seems to be a purple cityscape in the distance under a blue sky. Along the edge of the dish is an intricate frame with colorful designs that show people in different positions, surrounded by flowers and swirls. The colors are vibrant against a black background.