The incorruptible Consul Marcus Curius Dentatus, Govert Flinck (1656)
The man in the red woollen tunic on the left of this painting is Marcus Curius Dentatus. He is holding up a turnip in one hand and, with the other, waving away the gold and other gifts being offered to him by the man with the white robe and red cloak, who is a leader of the Samnites. He is attempting to bribe the Roman consul but Marcus Curius’s plain garb and turnip show that he is content with his simple lifestyle and has no desire for the luxurious gifts on offer.
