An 18th century oil painting by Danoux, called Le Supplice d'une Vestale (the torture of the Vestal).
A Vestal who was accused of breaking her vow of chastity to Rome, or lapsing in her duty and allowing the sacred fire to go out, was dealt with harshly. She was brought to the Campus Sceleratus—which translated to the “Evil Field”—and made to descend a ladder into a subterranean chamber. Left with only enough food, water and light to last a few days at most, she was doomed to die, alone and in the dark. This painting is a haunting image of that scene… one can almost feel the darkness closing in on her as she desperately reaches for the ladder.