ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Triumph of Aemilius Paulus

1789
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 632
Vernet began this enormous painting with its more than one hundred figures and dozen horses in 1787, and he presented it as part of his application for admission to the French Royal Academy in 1789. Exhibited at the Salons of 1789 and 1791, the painting’s ambition and advanced classicism proved a critical success. Vernet’s unusual format perfectly suits his subject: a procession that allegedly lasted three days, led by Roman general Aemilius Paulus who defeated King Perseus of Macedon in 168 BCE. The general rides in triumph on the gold cart followed by prisoners, including Perseus with his family. The temple of Jupiter Capitolinus with its hundred steps dominates the learned catalogue of ancient buildings comprising the background.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Triumph of Aemilius Paulus
  • Artist: Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet (French, Bordeaux 1758–1836 Paris)
  • Date: 1789
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Dimensions: 51 1/8 x 172 1/2 in. (129.9 x 438.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Gift of Darius O. Mills, 1906
  • Object Number: 06.144
  • Curatorial Department: European Paintings

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Campagnes des Français sous le Consulat et l'Empire
Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet
Librairie rue Visconti
n.d.
A Pinch of Snuff Behind the Drop, Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet French, Lithograph
A Pinch of Snuff Behind the Drop
Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet
ca. 1827
Stag Hunt, Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet French, Etching
Stag Hunt
Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet
Friedrich Johann Voltz
ca. 1840
Four Artists seated at a table (Brunet, Potier, Tiercetin [?], Vernet), Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet French, Pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash
Four Artists seated at a table (Brunet, Potier, Tiercetin [?], Vernet)
Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet
n.d.
Mamluk on Horseback, Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet French, Lithograph
Mamluk on Horseback
Carle (Antoine Charles Horace) Vernet
first half 19th century

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.