to Delécluze, the attention David paid to the painting of Adèle de Bellegarde's face led to rumours of an affair between her and the painter, which Delécluze considered baseless. Other rumours circulated as to whether she had posed fully nude. The Intervention of the Sabine Women was first exhibited at the Louvre on December 21 1799, a few weeks after the Coup of 18 Brumaire, in what has been described as "the major artistic event of the late 1790s in Paris." The diaphanous gowns worn by its female characters were credited for starting a fashion for similar outfits, known as dresses ("Ancient-style"), among Parisian high society. Influence The genesis of Les Sabines and the work itself represented a significant departure for the day. Historical depictions had been typically commissioned. David however, conceived, produced and promoted his work for profit. He produced marketing material to accompany the first exhibition. Le Tableau des Sabines, Exposé Publiquement au Palais National des Sciences et des Arts ("the Tableau of the Sabines, Public Exhibition at the National Palace of Arts and Science") contained his own account of the historic episode and had an endnote explaining his rationale for using nudity in the painting. Its 1799 exhibition attracted a large number of paying visitors for several years. In 1819 David sold Les Sabines and his Léonidas at Thermopylae to the Royal Museums for 10,000 francs. Starting in 1977, France issued a series of stamps featuring the head of Hersilia based on David's painting. After the expulsion of artists including David from the Louvre, the painting was held in the ancient church of Cluny, which he used as a workshop. That building is now operated as the Musée de Cluny. Footnotes Explanatory notes References Bibliography External links David – The Sabine Women A video discussion about the painting from Smarthistory, Khan Academy. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010065426 1799 paintings Neoclassical paintings Paintings in the Louvre by French artists Mythological paintings by Jacques-Louis David Paintings depicting Roman myths Paintings of children Horses in art Paintings set in ancient Rome