Virgil Reading the "Aeneid" to Augustus, Octavia, and Livia

The artist employs chiaroscuro, a technique using strong contrasts between light and dark, to create a sense of depth and drama. The classical setting and formal composition reflect the Neoclassical style, characterized by its revival of ancient Greek and Roman aesthetics.

The painting is associated with the Neoclassical movement, which emerged in the late 18th century as a reaction against the Rococo style. Artists like Jean-Baptiste Wicar, a student of Jacques-Louis David, sought to promote a more austere and morally instructive approach to art through the depiction of ancient subjects.