- Camellia Design
ASSYRIAN KING | pastel drawing | artist STRIX

ASSYRIAN KING by STRIX
https://www.camellia.design/strix/assyrian-king
This is a sketch of a beautiful relief sculpture on display at the British Museum.
The king Ashurnasirpal II is shown either side of the central Assyrian Tree of Life represented by a series of nodes and criss-crossing lines, whilst being blessed by a protective spirit in a 'cone-smearing' rite.
Ashurnasirpal II was king of Assyria from 883 to 859 BC and built a new Assyrian capital at Kalhu (Nimrud) in Mesopotamia where this relief originated.
To create this work the artist used pastels and graphite on pastel paper.