Jean Léon Gérôme (Vésoul 1824-1904 Paris)

An unusual subject for Gérôme, the present painting depicts one of the Roman legends about the origin of the Lacus Curtius, an old site within the Roman Forum. According to Titus Livius a chasm opened in the middle of the Forum in 362 B.C. which was filled by the sacrifice of the young Roman eques Marcus Curtius who heroically leapt into the abyss. By doing this, he demonstrated that the most precious thing in Rome was the courage and strength of its soldiers.