The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius
The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius is a painting by John William Waterhouse completed in 1883. The painting depicts Honorius feeding birds which are on the rug in front of him; the dark colours of the rug and his clothes define a space. Separated from him and the birds are the councillors seeking his attention, and who along with the attendant are dressed in paler shades. "The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius" is part of the collection of the Art Gallery of South Australia, which also owns Waterhouse's 1892 "Circe Invidiosa". Honorius was  named Western Emperor at the age of 10, after the death of his father Theodosius I. During his reign, from 393 to 423, the territory of Ancient Rome was invaded by foreign tribes and the capital sacked by the Visigoths . Honorius is considered one of the weakest Roman emperors and one of the factors in the demise of the Empire. Waterhouse shows him here with his childhood favorite hobby, instead of promptly attending to affairs of state.