The Legacy of Homer : Four Centuries of Art from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris

From its founding in 1648, the Academie royale de peinture et de sculpture and its successor, the Ecole nationale superieure des beaux-arts in Paris, were devoted to the Greek model.

Mythology and poetry, along with the study of sculpture, were the foundations of academic teaching there.

As a result, Greek gods and heroes were reborn in innumerable works by pupils and teachers of the Ecole.

This lavishly illustrated book explores the impact of the poet Homer on four centuries of French artists through the lens of the Ecole's superb collections of paintings, prints and sculptures.

Exhibition schedule: Princeton University Art Museum, 8 October 2005 to 15 January 2006; Dahesh Museum of Art, New York, 11 October 2005 to 22 January 2006.