Belisarius Recognized by one of his Soldiers

historical

The story of Belisarius was that of a loyal and successful general in the service of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. He had won major victories against the Vandals, Goths and Bulgarians, but he then became implicated in political intrigues, was accused of treason and disgraced. He became an outcast and was even reduced to begging; one version of the story also said that his eyes were put out.

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Belisarius Recognized by one of his Soldiers

About the Artist

François de Nomé

1593 – 1644

It is only in recent years that the mysterious painter called "Monsù Desiderio" has been separated into two artists who collaborated: Didier Barra (1590-c. 1644) and François de Nomé, both from Metz, Lorraine. Didier Barra usually painted topographical views, chiefly of Naples. François de Nomé was the more adventurous of the two, concentrating on the bizarre. Both painters spent their entire careers in Naples but never assimilated any local influences; they both retained a form of archaising mannerism of a similar type to that of Claude Deruet. At their best, François de Nomé's pictures excite by their power of expression, even though they seem flagrantly to disobey almost every rule of art.

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