God was watching

The Christianization of Poland (1889) by the Polish painter Jan Matejko (1838-1893). Above all it's a symbolic painting. People are plowing, cutting timber while others are being baptized and all is illuminated by the divine light from above.

Nice Decadence

A Roman Bath (1858) by the Russian painter Fyodor Andreyevich Bronnikov (1827-1902). Roman decadence was already an important subject at this time and Bronnikov uses it to stage some beautiful girls. They seem to be posing among each other but in the end it's all for the onlooker.

Battle of Somo-Sierra

The Battle of Somo-Sierra in Castille, 30 november 1808 (1810) by the French battle painter Louis-François Lejeune (1775-1848). Lejeune was himself with the Napoleonic troops in Spain, so it's quite possible that the battle happened like he painted it two years later.

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.