Unfavorable Collection

The Excommunication of Robert the Pious, 1875. Artist: Jean-Paul Laurens
The Excommunication of Robert the Pious, 1875. Nicknamed the Pious, Robert II (972-1031) was King of France from 996. He was temporarily excommunicated by Pope Gregory V

Painting, title unknown, mid 19th century. Artist: Jean Pierre Alexandre Antigna
Painting, title unknown, mid 19th century

The courageous action of Eustache de Saint-Pierre at the Siege of Calais, 1346. A scene from the 100 Years War, in which Edward III of England, having finally taken Calais

The Crucifixion, (part of a diptych), early 14th century. Artist: Pacino di Bonaguida
The Crucifixion, (part of a diptych), early 14th century. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

John the Baptist in the Wilderness, 1490-1495. Artist: Geertgen tot Sint Jans
John the Baptist in the Wilderness, 1490-1495. From the Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany

The Crucifixion, St Marks Basilica, Venice, Italy

Christ on the Cross, 16th century. From Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis, Portugal

Theatre, late 16th / early 17th century. Artist: Jacques Bellange
Theatre, Bellange, Private Collection

Portrait of an Old Man, 17th century. Artist: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn
Portrait of an Old Man, 17th century. From the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia

The Interdict, 1875. Artist: Jean-Paul Laurens
The Interdict, 1875. From the Musee des Beaux Arts, Le Havre, France

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Amidst the halls of power and the pages of history, unfavorable moments often cast long shadows. From the excommunication of Robert the Pious in "The Excommunication of Robert the Pious" by Jean-Paul Laurens, to the courageous yet tragic action of Eustache de Saint-Pierre at the Siege of Calais depicted in an unknown mid-19th century painting by Jean Pierre Alexandre Antigna. The wilderness of John the Baptist's solitude in Geertgen tot Sint Jans' "John the Baptist in the Wilderness," the interdict's heavy hand in Jean-Paul Laurens' "The Interdict," and the somber crucifixions by Pacino di Bonaguida, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, and the Basilica of St Mark in Venice, Italy, all serve as poignant reminders of the human condition's unfavorable turns. Even the grandeur of the theatre, as captured by Jacques Bellange in "Theatre," cannot escape the grasp of adversity. And in the face of age and hardship, as seen in Rembrandt's "Portrait of an Old Man," one can only ponder the unfavorable hands life deals us all.