The escape of Glaucus and Ione, with the blind girl Nydia from Pompeii (1861)

(Photograph of The escape of Glaucus and Ione, with the blind slave girl Nydia from Pompeii by Paul Falconer Poole circa 1861)

     Edward Bulwer-Lytton's The Last Days of Pompeii was the primary influence for The escape of Glaucus and Ione, with the blind girl Nydia from Pompeii by Paul Falconer Poole according to Jeffrey Richard's Hollywood's Ancient Worlds. As Richards stated in his book, the novel's authentic depiction of the ancient culture and customs in relation to Lytton's understanding of the emotional workings of the heart provided Poole with the inspiration and insight needed for his work. The painting above demonstrates the 19th century's fad for all things classical in the way that it portrays the flight of Glaucus, Ione, and Nydia. Poole's delicate placement of Ione on Gluacus' shoulder coupled with the serene background gives the painting a light and fanciful feel while also demonstrating the time period's hallmarked use of romanticism and love for added drama. Being taken from an archaeologically accurate novel, as Richards noted, the painted scene exemplifies the era's infatuation with accuracy in its ancient representations.


Richards, Jeffrey. "The Ancient World: The Nineteenth-Century Context."
         Hollywood's Ancient Worlds. London: Continuum, 2008. 8. Print.

Poole, Paul F. The Escape of Glaucus and Ione, with the Blind Slave Girl 
         Nydia from Pompeii. 1861. Bridgeman Art Library. Posterlounge. Web. 
         25 Aug. 2014.