What is an Illusion? Voltaire knows.

Voltaire once said:

“Illusion is the first of all Pleasures.”

What is she thinking about, it makes you wonder if her disillusion – as depicted in this painting – could actually be an illusion in itself. A trick of the mind that causes this emotion inside, a feeling of sadness and disappointment. I so wish it could be true…

The large painting above dates back to around 1640 and is titled “The Disillusioned Medea” (also known as The Enchantress)

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and was painted by Paulus Bor. Bor is a Dutch painting that born and died in Amersfoort, a descendent from a notable Catholic family. His works were marked by a classicism and were considered strange because of the mysterious subjects. He used a rather primitive technique and made use of unusual compositions.

This is a portrait for Voltaire. His real name was Francois-Marie Arouet. He was born on the 21st of November 1694 and died on the 30th of May 1778, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian as well as a philosopher…

Voltaire was well known for his attacks on the Catholic Church and his continuous support for freedom of religion, freedom of speech and a separation of church and state.