Order Description
Audio Tour: The Sword of Damocles
“The Sword of Damocles” is the name of the painting, developed in 1812. Richard Westall is the artist behind the painting. It is an oil painting on canvas. The painting links to the ancient era. The painting we have in the museum today is a second representation of a first source. That is; the first painting was developed for a guy named Richard Payne who was a collector of art. The art first shown at the Royal Academy where it attracted Thomas Hope a wealthy patron of the arts during their period. Consequently, the larger version of the art is the second representation, which belonged to Hope. The second version is what we have here at Auckland. The painting has a subject of a tyranny king (I & W).
The story of the painting lies in King Dionysius had seized power in the city of Syracuse. The king overheard Damocles envying his fortune, and the king replied sarcastically by asking Damocles to change places if he thought his position was that enviable. Damocles glanced up at the reply only to find a sword hanging above him with a single thread. The king explained that he has earned his power through violence, which has earned him enemies all over. As such, Damocles should not be surprised that there is a sword hanging above him (I & W). Thus, the subject of the painting consist of dictatorship. That is; “the Sword of Damocles” presents a point when one’s life is in imminent danger, and one has no power to save themselves from the threat.
There are nine figures of people in the painting where only four are men. The king is the person with his hands up and a big body composure. His hands raised, and on his right corner, two guards are standing dressed in cream-colored robes. The king is wearing a red robe, as well as Damocles. Damocles immediately after realizing the sharp sword above him, shows the bent lines and shape. On the left corner of the king, two women are standing and are looking at Damocles. The other three women are in front of both the king and Damocles. Almost everything seems to be made of gold such as the chairs, vessels, and the top side of the sword. Behind the king, there is a sculpture as well, and another smaller sculpture behind the sculpture near the king. On the wall, there are engravings of animals in grey color.
The picture uses all forms of lines to make the subjects appear as real as they do. For instance, the chairs have straight lines as well as the floors in the place. On the other hand, the figures show curved lines. The texture of the painting is soft though it does not look soft when looking like it. That is; some of the things in the painting such as the chairs and robes of the people are prickly. The painting is colorful since it has grey, red, golden, cream, green, blue, black, and pink. The medium of the painting is oil on canvas. The landscape of the painting appears to be lunar where through Damocles facing up the sword, it presents the sense of anxiety and impending doom, that Damocles is almost to encounter. The presentation in the painting is a symbol of potency and power, as well as the factors that trigger one to make the right action.

Works Cited
I & W. Images and Word: Richard Westall, The Sword of Damocles (Painting, 1812). 3 2009. 26 11 2015. <http://image-word.blogspot.co.ke/2009/03/richard-westall-sword-of-damocles.html>.

Order Description
Audio Tour: The Sword of Damocles
“The Sword of Damocles” is the name of the painting, developed in 1812. Richard Westall is the artist behind the painting. It is an oil painting on canvas. The painting links to the ancient era. The painting we have in the museum today is a second representation of a first source. That is; the first painting was developed for a guy named Richard Payne who was a collector of art. The art first shown at the Royal Academy where it attracted Thomas Hope a wealthy patron of the arts during their period. Consequently, the larger version of the art is the second representation, which belonged to Hope. The second version is what we have here at Auckland. The painting has a subject of a tyranny king (I & W).
The story of the painting lies in King Dionysius had seized power in the city of Syracuse. The king overheard Damocles envying his fortune, and the king replied sarcastically by asking Damocles to change places if he thought his position was that enviable. Damocles glanced up at the reply only to find a sword hanging above him with a single thread. The king explained that he has earned his power through violence, which has earned him enemies all over. As such, Damocles should not be surprised that there is a sword hanging above him (I & W). Thus, the subject of the painting consist of dictatorship. That is; “the Sword of Damocles” presents a point when one’s life is in imminent danger, and one has no power to save themselves from the threat.
There are nine figures of people in the painting where only four are men. The king is the person with his hands up and a big body composure. His hands raised, and on his right corner, two guards are standing dressed in cream-colored robes. The king is wearing a red robe, as well as Damocles. Damocles immediately after realizing the sharp sword above him, shows the bent lines and shape. On the left corner of the king, two women are standing and are looking at Damocles. The other three women are in front of both the king and Damocles. Almost everything seems to be made of gold such as the chairs, vessels, and the top side of the sword. Behind the king, there is a sculpture as well, and another smaller sculpture behind the sculpture near the king. On the wall, there are engravings of animals in grey color.
The picture uses all forms of lines to make the subjects appear as real as they do. For instance, the chairs have straight lines as well as the floors in the place. On the other hand, the figures show curved lines. The texture of the painting is soft though it does not look soft when looking like it. That is; some of the things in the painting such as the chairs and robes of the people are prickly. The painting is colorful since it has grey, red, golden, cream, green, blue, black, and pink. The medium of the painting is oil on canvas. The landscape of the painting appears to be lunar where through Damocles facing up the sword, it presents the sense of anxiety and impending doom, that Damocles is almost to encounter. The presentation in the painting is a symbol of potency and power, as well as the factors that trigger one to make the right action.

Works Cited
I & W. Images and Word: Richard Westall, The Sword of Damocles (Painting, 1812). 3 2009. 26 11 2015. <http://image-word.blogspot.co.ke/2009/03/richard-westall-sword-of-damocles.html>.