A distinguished member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, Hallé was renowned for his paintings of noble themes from ancient Greek and Roman history. This painting portrays the dying Roman philosopher and dramatist Seneca, who committed suicide when accused of conspiracy and condemned to death by Emperor Nero. Seneca's wife begged to die with him, but he sent her away to spare her the pain of witnessing his death. Unlike most representations of this subject, Hallé's painting focuses not on the death of the philosopher but on the poignant separation of the weakening Seneca and his distraught wife.

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