Stories of the lives of Alexander, Julius Caesar, Phocion, and Cato the Younger, with superb paintings by Gérôme, Poussin, and others. And some lessons for today.
biography
Great paintings by Rubens, David, Rembrandt, Merson, Sciuti and Tiepolo telling some of the best stories from Plutarch’s ‘Lives’.
The best orator of Rome, and a great poet and writer. He became caught up in the struggle between Caesar and Pompey, and eventually fell foul of Antony. Great paintings too.
One of the great orators of Greece, he fled into exile when found guilty of accepting a bribe, and later took poison before he could be arrested. Includes an unusual painting by Turner.
A Roman who stuck to his principles and fought corruption, bribery, and the seizing of power by Caesar. What could be more appropriate when you live in troubled times?
One of the greatest Athenian generals, whose career coincided with a time when Athens was a shipwrecked state. The people voted for his execution. Two Poussin landscapes, and more.
Made dictator for life, Caesar quickly became unpopular to the point where his life was under threat. Paintings by Rubens, von Piloty, and of course Gérôme.
From his early successes in Spain, Caesar had his heart set on high office. He worked hard for nearly ten years in his campaigns in Gaul, and even landed on the shores of Britain.
Alexander presses on into India, but stops short of crossing the River Ganges into South-East Asia. Fine paintings by Le Brun, Gustave Moreau, Valenciennes, and others.
Biography to the death of Darius the King of Persia, with superb paintings by Degas, Elisabetta Sirani, Altdorfer, Jan Brueghel the Elder, and more.