After reading Johan Huizinga's book Homo Ludens (Man at Play) of Johan Huizinga Constant develops his ideas for New Babylon the futuristic city for the creative man at play.

Although the theme of this painting is similar to paintings by Manet (L'exécution de l'Empéreur) and Goya (The third of May 1808), Constant has changed the composition so that the audience faces the executioners.

Constants last work. He signed the work in 2004 and then started working on it again. In the documentary Constant, avant le départ, filmed in the last months before his passing in 2005, he says when he visits his studio for the last time: A last look at my last painting. I'm finished with this painting. The next person working on this will be the restorer.
Dutch: Een laatste blik op mijn laatste schilderij. Ik hoef hier niets meer aan te doen. De volgende hand is van de restaurator.