The Death of Seneca - Jacques-Louis David - 1773

The Roman philosopher Seneca, accused of having participated in a conspiracy against the emperor Nero, was ordered to commit suicide. Seneca accepts the sentence and his wife chooses to die with him. The newlyweds cut their wrists, but death is slow in arriving. Seneca then asks the servants to keep his wife away to prevent one from weakening at the sight of the other's suffering.

Pauline will survive, spared by the Emperor. A doctor cuts the philosopher's ankles so that the blood flows faster and a slave presents him with poison. In the background, a centurion sent by Nero watches over the execution of the sentence. On the right, a disciple writes down the last words of the Stoic philosopher, who, with his death, gives the example of the highest moral virtues in the face of tyranny. The drapery wrapped around the tall columns and monumental statues are more reminiscent of an opera scene than the sober residence of a Roman follower of Stoicism.

Also note the theatrical gestures of the characters, the elegance of the female ornaments and the cheerfulness of the pink and blue palette.