Ormolu sculpture 'Caesar crossing the Rubicon' by Gerome

The sculpture is cast entirely in ormolu, and depicts the Roman general Caesar on horseback, leaning forward and holding his cloak over his head, crossing the Rubicon river in Italy. The sculpture is set on a rectangular base which depicts the edge of the riverbed. The plinth is signed 'J.L Gerome' and 'F. Barbedienne, Fondeur Paris France'.

The Rubicon is a small, shallow river in Northern Italy which acted as a boundary between Rome and its provinces. It was against the law for Caesar to cross the Rubicon. But cross he did, together with his army, on 10 January 49 BC. His crossing started a civil war, which Caesar won, and allowed him to further extend his power and control.

This model, created in 1900, was one of Gérôme's last sculptures, and was cast by the French foundry of Ferdinand Barbedienne.