Erasistratus Discovering the Cause of Antiochus' Disease
Jacques-Louis David · 1774
Why it's great
A doctor figures out that a prince is sick with love, as the prince's stepmother stands nearby. David painted it to win the Prix de Rome, the top art prize in France, in 1774. The clear composition and strong emotions won him the prize. It launched his career.
Where to see it
📍 Beaux-Arts de ParisParis, France
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Jacques-Louis David was born in Paris and became the greatest painter of the Neoclassical style, inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. He supported the French Revolution and later became Napoleon's official painter. After Napoleon fell, he was forced into exile and spent his last years in Brussels, Belgium. He taught many famous students and shaped French art for generations.
