The most frequently-painted of Boccaccio’s hundred stories, shown here from Rubens to Frederic, Lord Leighton. But there’s much more to the story than that.
West
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.
Was she abducted, seduced, or seducer? Victim or whore? Ovid’s pair of letters between Helen and Paris raises questions which many artists have tried to tackle.
In the past, people have accepted the reality of mythical creatures, such as winged angels, unicorns, and dragons. When did we start being more objective in our belief of what we see?
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’?
Admiral Lord Nelson died in similar circumstances to General Wolfe – leading his force to victory, although here at sea in the Battle of Trafalgar. Cue for a ‘modern history painting’.
West turns to a series of more classical mythological stories for his paintings between 1792 and 1802. These include Shakespeare, the Bible, and the first novel.
Far from continuing to paint ‘modern history’, he embarked on major projects for religious paintings, some of which are superb.
In the 8 years after painting the Death of Wolfe, he attempted a few more ‘modern history’ paintings, with varying success.
The painting by which West is best known, it was claimed to have started a revolution in art, and to be the first modern history painting. Is there any truth?
