Dionisio Dolfin, patriarch of Aquileia, commissioned a series of ten paintings on themes from Roman history (five of which are now in the Hermitage) for his Venetian palace, known as Ca' Dolfin. In this work the artist chose the scene in which Rome declares war on Carthage (Livy, Roman History, II, 6). Rome sent an embassy to the Senate in Carthage under the leadership of Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus (273-203 BC), known as Cunctator (the procrastinator).
The embassy was protesting against Carthage's seizure of a city allied with Rome. Since the senators refused to respond to the protest, Quintus Fabius asked them what they would choose, war or peace? The senators chose war.
Tiepolo placed the main hero with his back to the viewer, leaving us only to guess the expression on his face. This device was used repeatedly in the Ca' Dolfin series of paintings and creates an impression of high emotional tension.
Carta di Amalfi fatta a mano, cornice in legno di faggio e vetro museale. Guarda i particolari dei prodotti che renderanno la tua casa più elegante e preziosa.
