Who painted Titus Manlius Beheading His Son?

Titus Manlius Beheading His Son was painted by Heinrich Aldegrever in 1553.

Where can I see Titus Manlius Beheading His Son?

Titus Manlius Beheading His Son is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Titus Manlius Beheading His Son?

Titus Manlius Beheading His Son is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

Titus Manlius Beheading His Son

Heinrich Aldegrever , 1553

Titus Manlius Beheading His Son is an ink print by the Northern Renaissance artist Heinrich Aldegrever. It dates from 1553 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Heinrich Aldegrever’s 1553 engraving presents the Roman legend of Titus Manlius, who orders the execution of his own son for violating military discipline. Executed in black ink on a copper plate, the work measures only a few inches, reflecting the diminutive scale favored by the so‑called Little Masters of mid‑Sixteenth‑century Germany.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures the moment before the son’s beheading: a heavily armored figure stands before a closed door, sword raised, while a disheveled youth reaches outward with a pleading expression. The composition underscores themes of duty, authority, and the harsh consequences of insubordination in the Roman Republic.

Technique & Style

Aldegrever employed fine, cross‑hatching lines to model the metallic surfaces and generate deep shadows, giving the armor and weapons a palpable three‑dimensionality. The meticulous incisions characteristic of his engraving practice reveal a high level of craftsmanship despite the small format.

History & Provenance

Created shortly after Albrecht Dürer’s death, the print belongs to the generation of German printmakers who continued Dürer’s legacy of technical precision. Aldegrever, a member of the Little Masters, produced the work for the commercial market, and surviving copies are found in several European print collections.

Context

The subject draws on a well‑known anecdote from Livy’s history of Rome, a narrative frequently illustrated in Renaissance art to exemplify civic virtue. By choosing this story, Aldegrever aligned his work with contemporary humanist interests in classical moral exempla.

Artist & collection

Artist

Heinrich Aldegrever

Heinrich Aldegrever or Aldegraf was a German painter and engraver. He was one of the "Little Masters", the group of German artists making small old master prints in the generation after Albrecht Dürer.