''The Murder of Caesar'' is a 1865 painting by

Karl von Piloty Karl Theodor von Piloty (1 October 1826 – 21 July 1886) was a German painter, noted for his historical subjects, and recognised as the foremost representative of the realistic school in Germany. Life and work Piloty was born in Munich. His fat ...

which depicts the

assassination of Julius Caesar Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator, was assassinated by a group of senators on the Ides of March (15 March) of 44 BC during a meeting of the Senate at the Curia of Pompey of the Theatre of Pompey in Rome where the senators stabbed Caesar 23 ti ...

Description

The painting positions Caesar seated, crowned, and robed in a scarlet toga, as the centre and focus of composition.

Tillius Cimber Lucius Tillius Cimber (died 42 BC) was a Roman senator. He was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar, creating the diversion that enabled the conspirators to attack. Assassin Cimber was initially one of Caesar's strongest supporters. Caesar grant ...

is depicted pulling on Caesar's toga to both distract and pin him, as

Servilius Casca Publius Servilius Casca Longus (died c. 42 BC) was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar. He and several other senators conspired to kill him, a plan which they carried out on 15 March, 44 BC. Afterwards, Casca fought with the liberators dur ...

sneaks behind Caesar and attempts to stab Caesar with a dagger.

Reception

'' The Contemporary Review'' described the paintings as "a highly realistic, dramatic, not to say sporadic, composition". "Pitloy paints for effect, his art indeed would be artificial were it not empathetically real. The perfecting of a sensational style has been with him for a life study." '' The Art Journal'' stated that it was "truly a great work".

References

External links

Paintings of the death of Julius Caesar 1865 paintings {{19C-painting-stub