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Execution of a Man at a Market-Place of a Town

Leonhard Beck

1515

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Execution of a Man at a Market-Place of a Town is a 1515 ink by Leonhard Beck, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Leonhard Beck
When & what style?: 1515 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This painting depicts a scene of execution in a market place. The central figure is a man being beheaded by a swordsman, while a crowd of people watches from the surrounding area. The scene is set against the backdrop of a town, with buildings and a gate visible in the background. In the foreground, the executioner is shown in the act of beheading the man, who is kneeling on the ground. The crowd is depicted in various poses, some of whom are looking on in horror, while others appear to be indifferent to the scene unfolding before them. The painting is a woodcut, created by Leonhard Beck in 1514/1516, and is held at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. If you're interested in learning more about this style of art, you might want to explore the Renaissance movement.

About the artist

Artist

Leonhard Beck

Leonhard Beck (c. 1480 – 1542) was a painter and woodcuts designer in Augsburg, Germany. He was the son of Georg Beck, a miniaturist who was active in Augsburg c. 1490–1512/15. Leonhard collaborated with his father on…

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