Later painting and sculpture Messalina

messalina, eugène cyrille brunet (1884). museum of fine arts of rennes.

one of few avenues drawing moral lesson story of messalina in painting picture violent end. example francesco solimena s death of messalina (1708). in scene of vigorous action, roman soldier pulls arm stab empress while fending off mother. witness in armour observes calmly shadows in background. georges rochegrosse s painting of 1916 reprise of same scene. mourning woman dressed in black leaves face covered soldier drags messalina s head, watched courtier order execution in hand. earlier french treatment victor biennoury (1823 – 1893) makes lesson plainer identifying scene of death garden had obtained having former owner executed on false charge. crouches @ foot of wall carved name of lucullus , denounced dark-clothed figure soldier advances on drawing sword.

other artists show scenes of debauchery or, italian a. pigma in when claudius away, messalina play (1911), hint follow. follow depicted in federico faruffini s orgies of messalina (1867–1868). more private liaison treated in joaquín sorolla y bastida s messalina in arms of gladiator (1886). takes place in interior, empress reclining bare breasted against knees of naked gladiator.

juvenal s account of nights spent in brothel commonly portrayed. gustave moreau paints leading man onto bed while exhausted prostitute sleeps in background, while in paul rouffio s painting of 1875 reclines bare-breasted slave offers grapes. dane peder severin krøyer depicts standing, full body apparent under thin material of dress. ranks of customers visible behind curtain against stands (see above). 2 drawings aubrey beardsley produced private printing of juvenal s satires (1897). 1 titled messalina , companion shows on way brothel, while rejected drawing titled messalina returning bath.

alternatively, artists drew on pliny s account of sex competition. brazilian henrique bernardelli (1857-1936) shows lying across bed @ moment of exhaustion afterwards. eugène cyrille brunet s dramatic marble sculpture, dating 1884 (see above), while czech jan Štursa s standing statue of 1912 shows holding last piece of clothing @ side @ outset.