Esquisse pour l'escalier des fêtes de l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris : Bélier.

Luc-Olivier Merson's esquisse for the Hôtel de Ville staircase depicting 'Bélier' (Ram, 1888) is one of the zodiacal or seasonal allegory panels that formed part of the decorative cycle for the Fête staircase. The ram as the sign of Aries — spring, new beginnings, celebration — belonged to a decorative vocabulary of abundance and festivity appropriate to the civic celebration of Paris's Hôtel de Ville. Merson integrated such classical allegorical figures into his decorative programs with characteristic grace and erudition, combining classical iconographic tradition with the lightness of spirit suited to festive public spaces. The work is in the Petit Palais.

The esquisse establishes the allegorical figure of the Ram within the decorative composition, likely as part of a zodiacal series or seasonal personification. Merson's handling shows his characteristic combination of classical clarity and decorative grace, even in this preparatory state. The composition is legible and harmonious.