In the context of this artwork, discuss the Size of the Technical properties.
The size of the painting, a little over six by nine feet, is congruent with a traditional history painting, or a work depicting a historical event in monumental size in order to convey the importance and influence of that moment. This painting type was heavily used and venerated by the traditional group of academic painters, of which Cabanel was a part. However, in Cabanel's time, subjects from literature and mythology were also used for this painting type, as exemplified in Phaedra. Therefore, Cabanel, in alignment with his time, is taking an element of the traditional style and applying it to an alternate intelligent subject matter.
Phaedra history painting academic painter