Neoclassics

 Charles Meynier: Helen and Paris

  

Raymond Monvoisin: Callirhoe

Callirhoe and her lover, Chaereas, appear to have been the subject of the world's earliest known historical novel.

Nymphs of Parthenope (1827)

Charles Meynier: Nymphs of Parthenope, taking away from their shores the Penates, images of their gods to be conducted by the Goddess of Fine Arts on the banks of the Seine

Here at last is my background image! So I will poll my audience: do you want a new background image? Maybe I'll use something from the 1850 time frame (so during the life of the blog I'll have four backgrounds, one from each quarter century).

Napoleon After the Battle of Aspern-Essling (1812)

Charles Meynier: Napoleon After the Battle of Aspern-Essling, 22 May 1809

In the Battle of Aspern-Essling (21–22 May 1809), Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles. The battle was the first time Napoleon had been personally defeated in over a decade, but it was no more than a tactical victory for the Austrians, who failed to capitalise on their superior numbers and merely repulsed Napoleon, without defeating him.

Napoleon in Berlin (1810)

Charles Meynier: Entrance of Napoleon in Berlin, 27 October 1806

  
Si vous comprenez français, il ya une courte vidéo sur cette peinture.

Napoleon's forces captured Berlin during the War of the Fourth Coalition.

Marshal Ney (1808)

Charles Meynier: Marshal Ney gives back to the soldiers of the 76th line Regiment 

their standards recovered at the Inspruck arsenal, 7 November 1805

Marshal Michel Ney was a prominent military commander during the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon himself dubbed him the "Bravest of the Brave" for his prowess in battle. He was commander of the III Corps during the invasion of Russia and commanded the rearguard during the Retreat from Moscow. After Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo (where Ney had five horses shot out from under him), he was arrested and tried by the Chamber of Peers, and subsequently executed for "treason".

About the incident depicted in this painting, I can find no information.

Below is a portrait of Ney done by François Gérard in 1805.

Erato, Muse of Lyric Poetry (1800)

Today's painting is Erato, Muse of Lyric Poetry (1800), by Charles Meynier.

Meynier was a Neoclassic painter with roots deep in the 18th century tradition (much of his work was done then).  This was one of a series of paintings he did of the ancient Greek muses. A biography of him (in French) is here.

Erato, muse of lyric (and erotic) poetry, has obvious connections to Eros. This painting seems to depict her receiving inspiration from Cupid himself.