Pheidippides Announcing the Victory at Marathon
Luc-Olivier Merson · 1869
Why it's great
According to legend, a runner named Pheidippides raced from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Greeks had beaten the Persians, then collapsed and died. Luc-Olivier Merson painted the moment he reaches the city in 1869, and the legend is why a long-distance race is called a marathon.
🏛️ Part of history
Classical Greece: From Marathon to Socrates (490–399 BC) — According to legend, a runner named Pheidippides raced from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Greeks had beaten the Persians, then collapsed and died.
Where to see it
📍 Location not recordedWe couldn't confirm where it hangs today. Museums sometimes move or lend paintings, so check the museum's website before you travel.
Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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About the artist
Luc-Olivier Merson1846–1920 · born in rue Gracieuse · died in rue Denfert-Rochereau
Luc-Olivier Merson was a French painter born in Paris in 1846. He won the Prix de Rome in 1869 with his picture of the runner of Marathon, then taught at the École des Beaux-Arts and also designed banknotes and stamps. He lived and worked in Paris until he died in 1920.
