Dante
Ernest Meissonier was once the most famous and expensive painter in France, though today he's often overshadowed by the Impressionists he disliked. Here, he paints Dante Alighieri in his iconic crimson robe and laurel wreath, looking like the ultimate literary brooder. The poet clutches his book (probably the Divine Comedy) against a moody, dark background that makes the red fabric glow. It’s a perfect example of Academic art—dignified, historical, and very serious—capturing the father of the Italian language in a moment of solemn contemplation.