Brutus Condemning His Sons to Death

Gabriel François Doyen

1760

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century lamentation of christ

About this work

You see a dramatic scene of a father condemning his sons to death. The artist used strong contrasts to show the emotions of the characters. This was a common way to tell stories in art back then, and it adds a lot of tension to the scene. Check out the technique of chiaroscuro to learn more about how artists use light and dark to create mood.