Plague in an Ancient City
Michiel Sweerts · 1652
Why it's great
A terrible illness has struck an ancient city and people are dying in the streets. Michiel Sweerts painted it around 1652 and it is often connected to the plague that hit Athens in 430 BC during the long war with Sparta, an event that shook the golden age.
🏛️ Part of history
Classical Greece: From Marathon to Socrates (490–399 BC) — A terrible illness has struck an ancient city and people are dying in the streets.
The Black Death (1347–1351) — A terrible illness has struck an ancient city and people are dying in the streets.
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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Michiel Sweerts was a Flemish painter born in Brussels in 1618. He worked in Rome, where he painted busy city scenes, and later in Brussels and Amsterdam, before joining a missionary journey to Asia. He died in Goa, India, in 1664.
