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The Stabbing of Pompey

Willem Basse

1634

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Allegory Aeneas

Dominant colour

The Stabbing of Pompey is a 1634 ink by Willem Basse, a Baroque work, depicting Aeneas, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Willem Basse
When & what style?: 1634 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This dark etching shows Caesar’s enemies stabbing Pompey on a ship. Blood drips into the water below. The victim kneels, one hand raised in shock. The artist, Willem Basse, used fine lines to make shadows look deep. You can almost feel the cold metal of the blades. Try the same technique in a bigger print at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.