Thanks to an ability to combine romantic and realistic elements, and to the broad range of his subjects, Gérome made his name early in life and went on to enjoy a brilliant career. His works were regularly accepted for exhibitions at the Salon and he received many official commissions, being awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1898. A considerable place in his work was occupied by subjects from Ancient Rome, in the treatment of which we feel the hand of an experienced director who knew how to give each scene the necessary element of spectacle.
At the centre of a high dais are two naked women; the slave dealer is displaying them to the crowd, showing off the goods he has for sale. The smooth painterly style, the precise linear drawing and sculptural modelling of forms were the traditional academic principles taught at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, where Gérome was on the staff for over 40 years.
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