Leonidas at Thermopylae
Jacques-Louis David · 1814
Why it's great
The Spartan king Leonidas sits in calm readiness with his soldiers at the mountain pass of Thermopylae, preparing for a last stand against a vast Persian army. David painted the Spartans with heroic simplicity. In 480 BC, 300 Spartans and their allies held off the Persians for days. It's one of history's most famous last stands.
🏛️ Part of history
Classical Greece: From Marathon to Socrates (490–399 BC) — Three hundred Spartans hold the pass while the Persian army pours toward them. David painted the calm before the last stand, with the warriors combing their hair for battle.
Where to see it
📍 Louvre MuseumParis, 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.
