He drew up the tables of law for Athens, met and argued with Croesus, a fabulously rich king of Lydia, and did away with draconian punishments.
history
Successor to Romulus, he brought change by persuasion, and did away with the factions of Sabines and Romans. Art by Poussin and others.
He established the unique regime and society of Sparta, with communal meals, harsh selection of newborn babies, and devotion to the state. He enforced those with selfless ingenuity.
How Romulus carefully planned the abduction of maidens to satisfy Rome’s need for wives, and his subsequent wars. Splendid paintings by Poussin, David, Ingres, Guercino, and Nattier.
One of twins born of a Vestal Virgin, he was suckled by a she-wolf and raised by a swineherd. Marvellous paintings by the Carraccis, Rubens, and Mignard.
After abandoning Ariadne on Naxos, he takes a succession of brides, battles with the Amazons, and fights for the Lapiths against the centaurs. But did he rape Helen? Paintings by Corinth, Waterhouse, Rubens, and more.
Born from the incestuous union of the King of Athens with his daughter, he survived an attempt on his life by Medea, and went on to kill the Minotaur of Crete. Paintings by Poussin, Moreau, and others.
How could I follow my 85-part account of Ovid’s Metamorphoses? With the greatest collection of biographies of classical figures, an inspiration to Charlotte Corday herself.
He specialised in history paintings of the Tudor and Stuart period, and later painted problem pictures to puzzle the viewer. He died 100 years ago today.
He was remarkably successful, a truly self-made artist, who rose from nothing to international renown. But did he ‘occasion a revolution in the art’?
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