Maxentius
1750
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
Dominant colour
Maxentius is a 1750 by Unknown, held at Statens Museum for Kunst.
This black-and-white photo shows a dramatic scene of two men wrestling in shallow water. One man is on his back, his legs kicking wildly, while the other pins him down with one arm and grabs his hair with the other. The water around them is rough, with splashes and waves, and a small boat floats nearby, half-submerged. The lighting is stark, with deep shadows and bright highlights that make the figures stand out sharply. This kind of contrast is called *chiaroscuro*—it’s all about strong light and dark to create drama. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how artists use light and shadow to tell stories.
