Pollice Verso - Jean Leon Gerome
To scale 30 x 23 in on the wall
Representative Hand-applied gesso embellishment
About the Artwork
Jean-Léon Gérôme built his reputation on exactly this kind of historical set piece: a scene reconstructed with archaeological precision, populated by figures posed like sculpture, and staged with the theatrical clarity of a photograph. Working within Academicism, the dominant French academic tradition of the nineteenth century, Gérôme resisted the loosening brushwork of his Impressionist contemporaries in favor of polished surfaces, careful anatomy and legible narrative. Pollice Verso depicts a Roman gladiatorial contest at its decisive moment, drawing on his broader fascination with antiquity and the exotic, a fascination that also produced his celebrated Orientalist scenes of North Africa and the Near East. The painting's stark moral question, mercy or death, decided by a crowd's gesture, became one of the defining images of Roman brutality in the popular imagination, later echoing through films and book illustrations that borrowed its staging directly.
Product Specifications
- Finished size
- 30 x 23 in
- Frame
- gold, premium resin, mitred
- Canvas
- Heavyweight Fredrix poly/cotton
- Finish
- Hand-applied gesso embellishment
- Inks
- Archival HP Latex, 100-year colorfastness
- Stretcher
- Solid poplar, kiln dried
- Hanging
- Wire and dust cover fitted
- Item
- 140321
Shipping, Returns & Care
Shipping & Delivery
Free shipping in the continental U.S. on every order, every size.
Every piece is made to order and ships by the next business day (Monday–Friday). Most orders placed before 2 p.m. Eastern ship the same day. We email tracking the moment your piece ships.
Returns & The Love-It Guarantee
We want every Canvas Classic to find the right home. If your piece doesn't live up to the expectation we set, return it within 30 days for a full refund: no questions, no restocking fee, no shipping charges on us.
Pieces that arrive damaged in transit are replaced or refunded immediately. Email our team with a photo within 7 days of receipt.
Care & Hanging
Every piece arrives ready to hang: wire hardware pre-installed, kraft paper dust cover, gallery-finished corners.
Hanging: Every painting ships with a double-nail courtesy hook rated for every size, Estate included.
Care: Dust lightly with a soft, dry cloth as needed. Avoid direct sunlight to preserve the colors. Avoid hanging in high-humidity environments (bathrooms with active showers). Our finish is durable but is not waterproof.
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