Roman soldier of great valour, successful commander, but a disaster of a statesman. His story was told by Shakespeare, and in many paintings by Poussin, Kaufmann, and others.
Alma-Tadema
A successful general and much-loved statesman, he was responsible for building the Parthenon and Acropolis. Yet he gave his wife to another man, and lived with a courtesan who ran a brothel.
The depiction of Pandora opening her box and unleashing all its ills on the world remained popular, with paintings by Alma-Tadema, Bouguereau, Waterhouse, Rackham, Redon, and others.
19th century paintings showing homeless families, from Doré, Marianne Stokes, Erik Henningsen, and others.
Ovid’s fictional letter made it clear how the legend of Phaon was absurd. Yet it has been painted repeatedly ever since.
We’re easily convinced of the reality of 2D images – as when early audiences panicked as the Lumières’ train ran at them in a movie. How has our exposure to pictures changed, though?
Like the Alma-Tademas, a Belgian family of talented painters who specialised in scenes set in Pompeii.
A story which has been told by a long succession of literary and musical works. But this painting is almost the only one to depict it visually.
Second and final part to commemorate his death a century ago, with several of his finest paintings.
He died a century ago, a succession of brilliant and very successful paintings behind him. First of two parts in retrospect.
The Eclectic Light Company 