''The Murder of Caesar'' is a 1865 painting by

Karl von Piloty Karl Theodor von Piloty (1 October 1826 – 21 July 1886) was a German painter, noted for his historical subjects, and recognised as the foremost representative of the realistic school in Germany. Life and work Piloty was born in Munich. His fath ...

which depicts the

assassination of Julius Caesar Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator, was assassinated on the Ides of March (15 March) 44 BC by a group of senators during a Roman Senate, Senate session at the Curia of Pompey, located within the Theatre of Pompey in Ancient Rome, Rome. The ...

Description

The painting positions Caesar seated, crowned, and robed in a scarlet toga, as the centre and focus of composition.

Tillius Cimber {{Short description, Roman senator and conspirator in Caesar's assassination Lucius Tillius Cimber (d. 42 BCE?) was a Roman senator and one of the key conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, 44 BCE. Though previousl ...

is depicted pulling on Caesar's toga to both distract and pin him, as

Servilius Casca Publius Servilius Casca Longus (died ) was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar and plebeian tribune in 43 BC. He and several other senators conspired to kill him, a plan which they carried out on 15 March 44 BC. Afterward, Casca fough ...

sneaks behind Caesar and attempts to stab Caesar with a dagger.

Reception

The Contemporary Review ''The Contemporary Review'' is a British biannual, formerly quarterly, magazine. It has an uncertain future as of 2013. History The magazine was established in 1866 by Alexander Strahan and a group of intellectuals intent on promoting their v ...

'' described the paintings as "a highly realistic, dramatic, not to say sporadic, composition". "Pitloy paints for effect, his art indeed would be artificial were it not empathetically real. The perfecting of a sensational style has been with him for a life study." ''

The Art Journal ''The Art Journal'' was the most important British 19th-century magazine on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title ''Art Union Monthly Journal'' (or ''The Art Union''), the first issue of 7 ...

'' stated that it was "truly a great work".

References

External links

Paintings of the death of Julius Caesar 1865 paintings {{1860s-painting-stub