Antiochus and Stratonice

Jacques-Louis David's painting, Antiochus and Stratonice, was an early work that revealed his initial influences before he fully embraced Neoclassicism. The painting depicts a scene from ancient history where Antiochus, son of Seleucus I Nicator, was diagnosed with a lovesickness for his stepmother, Stratonice. The physician Erasistratus discovered this by observing Antiochus's reactions to various people, noting his pulse quickened only when Stratonice was present. To resolve the situation, Seleucus I abdicated his throne in favor of his son, allowing Antiochus to marry Stratonice. This subject matter, while historical, allowed David to explore themes of love, duty, and sacrifice, which were characteristic of his later Neoclassical works.1