Explore the Display about the Reception of this artwork.
The Babylonian Marriage Market was first displayed at the Royal Academy's annual exhibition in 1875. It was subsequently bought for Thomas Holloway, of the Royal Holloway University of London in 1882.The painting made its public debut at the Royal Academy in 1875, where it drew large crowds and won widespread acclaim. The art critic John Ruskin praised the painting and highlighted the similarity between its subject matter and modern European marriage practices, which Ruskin thought were also mercenary and immoral. It is noted that audiences at the time had a taste for exotic eastern artefacts and narratives. The work was displayed in a gold painted frame. The frame was embossed with numeric Roman numeral script, each numeral encased in a circle which was positioned directly below each bridal figure in the painting. These numerals were thought to designate the rank of each of the brides.
artefacts painting John Ruskin bride Babylonia Babylon Royal Academy Thomas Holloway numerals