In 509 BC, Brutus led a revolution to overthrow the monarchy and establish the Roman Republic, seeking to create a more equitable balance of power.

By punishing his own children for their betrayal, Brutus demonstrated his steadfast and resolute commitment to the ideals of justice and the rule of law, placing the Republic's principles above personal ties.

In 1788, Lethière turned to the subject as part of the larger Neoclassical art movement, which often drew on scenes from ancient Rome and Greece to emphasize virtues such as patriotism, sacrifice, and civic duty.

Neoclassicism gained particular popularity in the late 18th century, resonating with Enlightenment ideals and reflecting the political tensions of the era, especially with the approaching French Revolution.

[2] Lethière's famous contemporary, Jacques-Louis David, covered a similar historical subject in his work The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons (1789).

[2] These accusations were furthered by the resemblance between the executioner in Lethière's painting and Charles-Henri Sanson, the man who displayed King Louis XVI’s severed head to a Parisian crowd.