' The Intervention of The Sabine Women ' Jacues-Louis David ( French 1748 - 1825 ) Oil on canvas Circa 1799

Jacques-Louis David spent four years creating this magnificent large canvas ( app: 13ft X 18ft ) His desire was to return to his original ideas of antiquity and purity , and the basic principles laid down by Ancient Greece . The scene depicted is from early Roman history . The Romans have abducted the daughters of their neighbours , the Sabines . To avenge this abduction , the Sabines attacked Rome , although not immediately - since Hersilia , daughter of Tatius , leader of the Sabines , had been married to Romulus , the Roman leader and had two children by him . The centre of the painting shows Hersilia between her father and her husband as she adjures the warriors on both sides not to take wives away from their husbands , or mothers away from their children . The other Sabine women join with her in her exhortations .