Brave Cloelia Rucsha and his taste ran toward

and his taste ran toward the idiosyncratic—images that surprised him chiefly because he had never seen them before

their histories

He also recounts Steen's career and a history of the picture itself

as well as for figural scenes depicting the interests and activities of the patrons who commissioned them—scenes of daily life

from ancient societies to the present

Brave Cloelia Rucsha and his taste ran towardStory by Jane Louise Curry Illustrations by Jeff Crosby In his History of Early Rome, the ancient historian Livy tells the story of a Roman girl named Cloelia who was taken prisoner by Larth Porsena, the king of the Etruscans. Cloelia came up with a daring plan of escape from her Etruscan captors and in the process won the admiration of all Rome and of the Etruscan king himself, who freed her. For saving her city, a grateful Rome set up a statue in