Constantine's Vision. AR 1109

This is one of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. This composition was used for a headpiece in 'Le Souvenir, A Pocket Remembrancer', a memorandum book printed by J Cary for Godwin in 1807, on the page for 16th November. Emperor Constantine I, known as Constantine the Great (after 280 - 337) was the first Roman emperor to declare himself Christian. In 312, on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine had a vision that he would be victorious in the name of the Christian God.