The Dead Caesar

1857

The 1857 Salon: Egyptian subjects and “The Duel”

Paintings inspired by the Egyptian trip — “Egyptian Recruits”, “Camels Watering” — and the puzzling “The Duel after the Masquerade” enhanced Gérôme’s reputation. Capitalising on the success of the “Duel”, he made two copies himself: one for Alexander II (now in the Hermitage) and one for reproduction in print (Walters Art Museum).

1859

The 1859 Salon: “Ave Caesar” and “King Candaules”

Gérôme showed both Egyptian and ancient subjects: he himself thought “Ave Caesar” a failure and later admitted it was full of archaeological inaccuracies, while the erotic “King Candaules” made him popular with lovers of history and connoisseurs of the nude alike. Hoping to capitalise on the success, he petitioned for a professorship at the École des Beaux-Arts but never received a reply.

1861

“Phryne before the Areopagus” divides the critics

At the Salon of 1861 the canvas of the courtesan Phryne, whose beauty saved her from a charge of impiety, drew sharply opposed verdicts. Degas fumed in 1891 that Gérôme’s Phryne covers herself, while Stasov, otherwise sceptical of academicism, wrote in 1879 that the picture was a true work of art.

1861

Duel with the art dealer Stevens

In 1861 Gérôme fought a duel with the art dealer Stevens — according to R. Bonheur, over a woman; no experienced duellist, he got off with a light wound in the arm.

1861–1863

A year in Egypt, Syria and Palestine

Right after the duel Gérôme left France for a year-long journey through Egypt, Syria and Palestine, described in detail in his autobiography: for 17 days he crossed the Syrian desert and spent Easter in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. He returned to Paris in January 1863.