Art: Gaius Marius amid the Ruins of Carthage

[guy]

As we have discussed before, the founding fathers of the United States were greatly influenced by the histories of the Ancient societies of Greece and Rome and they used them as a lesson during the formation of the American Republic. Not surprisingly, early American painters were influenced by the art movement of Neoclassicism that drew inspiration from the classical art and culture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

 

I found this painting fascinating:

 

(One must be signed in to see the image)

 

 

Edited July 31, 2012 by guy

[Maty]

This recalls a series I was once meant to do for a certain publishing house. It was to be called 'Rome Reflected' and would take key moments of Roman history and show them as they were later depicted in great works of art. I would do the ancient history bit explaining the history, and an art critic would tell viewers how to look at the painting itself.

 

In the end the idea fell through - the art critic backed out, and the publisher decided that the cost of printing full colour paintings would be prohibitive. It might work as an e-book though. I'll have to re-approach the idea when my work calendar clears a bit.

 

Here's one of the pages we produced for the mock-up.

marius.pdf

Edited July 31, 2012 by Maty

[M. Porcius Cato]

In the end the idea fell through - the art critic backed out, and the publisher decided that the cost of printing full colour paintings would be prohibitive. It might work as an e-book though. I'll have to re-approach the idea when my work calendar clears a bit.

 

It's a great concept for a book -- I'd eagerly purchase it. Did you already choose the paintings and get the rights to reproduce them?

[guy]

In the end the idea fell through - the art critic backed out, and the publisher decided that the cost of printing full colour paintings would be prohibitive. It might work as an e-book though. I'll have to re-approach the idea when my work calendar clears a bit.

 

It's a great concept for a book -- I'd eagerly purchase it. Did you already choose the paintings and get the rights to reproduce them?

 

I agree. It would certainly be a book to purchase.

 

Now that I have figured out how to add images again, I hope to make similar posts in the future.

 

Ironically, the patron of Vanderlyn who painted this masterpiece, was Aaron Burr.

 

For those who don't know, Aaron Burr was Vice-President under Thomas Jefferson. Burr was later humbled for his political machinations. He killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. A few years later he was arrested for treason involving lands in the West, but later was acquitted. Similar to Marius, Aaron Burr fell from the pinnacles of power.

 

Vanderlyn's career floundered when he lost the patronage of Aaron Burr.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

Edited August 1, 2012 by guy

[M. Porcius Cato]

Ironically, the patron of Vanderlyn who painted this masterpiece, was Aaron Burr.

 

LOL. Leave to Aaron Burr to look to Marius for inspiration!

[Virgil61]

 

Similar to Marius, Aaron Burr fell from the pinnacles of power.

 

 

I'd think Catiline would be the more accurate comparison.

 

I can't imagine Jefferson, the great anti-federalist opponent, being relegated to the second rank regarding a Marius-Sulla analogy. [in any matter the analogy goes only so far, federalist followers didn't slaughter thousands of Jeffersonians (