Cleombrotus Ordered into Banishment by Leonidas II, King of Sparta
- Artist: Benjamin West
- Date: 1768
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1384 x 1854 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "Cleombrotus Ordered into Banishment by Leonidas II, King of Sparta" by Benjamin West, painted in 1768. West, an American‑born artist who settled in London after years in Italy, had become a leading figure in the early British history‑painting movement. The scene is taken from a story by Plutarch: the Spartan king Leonidas, after being deposed by his son‑in‑law Cleombrotus, returns and, moved by his daughter Chelonis’s pleas, commutes Cleombrotus’s death sentence to banishment. West captures the moment inside a temple‑like interior. Leonidas stands at the centre, his posture rigid and authoritative, while Chelonis leans in, clutching their child. The surrounding figures—soldiers, robed gentlemen, and onlookers—add depth and a sense of communal witness. The palette is muted, with greys and washed tones, and West uses small, controlled brushstrokes that emphasize tone over texture. This restrained, Poussin‑influenced style exemplifies the neoclassical “grand manner” that West helped to establish in Britain. The painting was first shown at the Royal Academy’s second annual exhibition in 1770, and it has since been recognised as a key example of 18th‑century British historical painting, illustrating the blend of moral narrative and disciplined composition that defined the era.
See it in person
Cleombrotus Ordered into Banishment by Leonidas II, King of Sparta is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
