A cruel Empress

The Empress Theodora at the Colosseum (c. 1889) by the French painter Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant (1845-1902). Nothing is to be seen of the bloody spectacle in the arena. There is only the empress, cool and relaxed she is watching. But it's no coincidence that the dominating colour is red.

Slaughterhouse Troy

Andromache (1884) by the French painter Georges-Antoine Rochegrosse (1859-1938). Andromache was the wife of the Trojan hero Hector, who was slain by Achilles. When Troy felt Ulysses tried to kill her son and she became a Greek prisoner and slave. So, Rochegrosse gives here an impressive view of what happened in Troy after its fall.

Well equipped Columbus

Columbus at San Salvador by the American history painter Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930). This painting was probably done in the 1920s. Costumes, arms and the backdrop details are much better than on the typical 19th century paintings. But Ferris is already late, he painted in the manner of a bygone epoch. A better decoration didn't make a better painting at this time.

Bloody Fighting

Defending the pulpit in the monastery San Agustín (1884) by the Spanish painter César Álvarez Dumont (1866 – 1945). Another heroic fighting scene from the defense of Zaragoza in 1808/09. The defense of Zaragoza by its population was in Spain probably the most glorified episode of the Napoleonic wars.

Beneath the Arena

Beneath the Arena (1882) by the German painter Karl Theodor von Piloty (1826–1886). Especially compared to the typical arena paintings, which prefered mostly the great spectacle, this is a more silent work. A young Roman patrician looks impressed on a Christian women sleeping while awaiting her death in the arena.

Orient meets History

Moorish Guard in the Alhambra by the Austrian painter Rudolf Ernst (1854-1932). Ernst lived in Paris and was one of the best orientalist painters. Here he combined an orientalist harem guard with a historical scene. But it's all the same, pure exotic fantasy.

Sweet Priestess

A Priestess (1893) by the British painter John William Godward (1861-1922). Godward was a protégé of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema and painted this Greek/Roman girls in series. I doubt that a priestess in ancient times went like this, but it was what sold good in the late 19th century.

A brave Messenger

The little Messenger by the French battle painter Joseph Louis Hippolyte Bellange (1800-1866). Bellange was specialized in the Napoleonic wars and depicted here a more cheesy scene with a brave little boy.

The White Company

The White Company by the great American illustrator N.C. (Newell Convers) Wyeth (1882–1945). This was the cover for the historical adventure novel by Arthur Conan Doyle which is set during the Hundred Years' War. Maybe it should be mentioned that the real mercenary company with this name never wore white white clothes, the name refered to "white" armour, i.e. plate armour.
But anyway Wyeth painted an impressive bunch of cutthroats.

A City Founder

The Foundation of Saint Petersburg by the German-Russian painter Alexander Ewstafijewitsch von Kotzebue (1815-1889). Kotzebue depicted here Tsar Peter the Great as a the visionary founder of the city. Artisans and architects are fascinated at his feet while he is dramatically illuminated.

Kind of Nature

Battle of Svolder (1883) by the Norwegian painter Otto Ludvig Sinding (1842-1909). Sinding depicted here the decisive battle which resulted in the independence of Norway. Quite normal work that far, but more interesting is that he was much more famous for his landscape paintings of the wild Lofoten Islands. And because of that, I think, his battle painting is much more about the sea in the North and the light there than about that battle itself.

Merry Old Times

Bacci Ball (1880) by the Italian painter Ludovico Marchetti (1853-1909). Marchetti was specialized in sweet scenes settled in the Orient or in an innocent past, in this case mostly early 18th century.