Faithful Unto Death
Edward Poynter, 1865
Pompeian sentry at his post as Vesuvius falls — legion discipline as empire myth.
About this work
Edward Poynter painted Faithful unto Death in 1865. During the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, a Roman soldier stays at his post at Pompeii while the city is destroyed around him. Poynter drew on the excavations at Pompeii, which were said to have revealed the skeleton of a soldier in full armour who had remained on duty. He was probably also influenced by Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1834 novel The Last Days of Pompeii, which features a sentry who stays at his post through the destruction. The painting was widely received as a picture of heroism, but it may also question the soldier's unthinking obedience to an oppressive regime, a theme that recurs in other works by Poynter. It was shown at the Royal Academy exhibition of 1865 and has been in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool since 1874. Poynter (1836–1919) was born in Paris, the son of the architect Ambrose Poynter, met Frederic Leighton in Rome as a teenager, and studied in Paris under Charles Gleyre. He later became President of the Royal Academy and was made a baronet.
Sources: Wikipedia · Wikipedia: Edward Poynter
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 3,029 × 4,665 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 20 × 31 in
- Sizes
- Small (13 × 20 in) · $100 · 233 ppi
Medium (16 × 24 in) · $150 · 189 ppi
Large (23 × 36 in) · $300 · 130 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of Faithful Unto Death?
Here. Faithful Unto Death is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (13 × 20 in) for $100, Medium (16 × 24 in) for $150 and Large (23 × 36 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for Faithful Unto Death?
The file is 3,029 × 4,665 px. Medium (16 × 24 in) is the largest size that prints at 150 ppi or more (189 ppi), the sharpest choice for close viewing; Large (23 × 36 in) prints at 130 ppi, fine from a few feet away but softer up close.
Is it legal to print Faithful Unto Death?
Yes. Faithful Unto Death is in the public domain: its copyright, if it ever had one, expired long ago. In the United States a faithful photograph of a public-domain painting does not create a new copyright (Bridgeman v. Corel, 1999), so the image can be printed and sold freely.
