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Two Fighting Figures

John Flaxman

1790

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century

Dominant colour

Two Fighting Figures is a 1790 graphite by John Flaxman, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: John Flaxman
When & what style?: 1790 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows two people tangled in a fight. Their bodies twist together, arms flailing and legs locked. The lines are loose and quick, like they were drawn fast—no smooth shapes, just rough strokes and shading. The paper looks old, with a faint texture you can almost feel. The artist didn’t erase mistakes; the sketch feels raw, like a first try or a quick idea. Next, check out Romanticism to see how this fits into that movement.