Cleombrotus Ordered into Banishment by Leonidas II, King of Sparta
1768
oil
From the collection of British Museum
1768
oil
From the collection of British Museum
Cleombrotus Ordered into Banishment by Leonidas II, King of Sparta is a 1768 oil by Benjamin West, a Neoclassicism work, held at British Museum.
This painting shows a group of people in ancient Greek clothing. In the center, a woman in a green robe holds a child and leans on a man sitting on a chair. He wears a blue robe and has his hand on his face. To his left, a man in a yellow robe gestures with his right hand. Behind them, several men in armor and robes stand with shields and spears. The background is a room with columns and curtains. A man in a green robe stands behind the woman, and another man in a gray robe stands to the right, looking at the group. The painting is done in warm colors with strong contrasts between light and dark. The use of strong contrasts between light and dark is reminiscent of the technique of chiaroscuro.
