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.