Tarquin Threatening Lucretia
1750
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
1750
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This painting shows a tense scene with three figures. A man in a red cloak stands over a woman lying on a dark surface. Another figure kneels beside her, holding her hand. The woman looks up, her face pale, while the man in red points a sword at her. The lighting is dramatic, with shadows making the figures stand out sharply against the dark background. The red cloak and the woman’s pale skin create a strong contrast. Next, look up *chiaroscuro* to see how this lighting trick works in other paintings.
