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"Do Not Break the Crown" [fol. 43 recto]

French early 16th Century

1514

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

"Do Not Break the Crown" [fol. 43 recto] is a 1514 ink by French early 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: French early 16th Century
When & what style?: 1514 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a muscular man in fancy clothes, mid-stride, holding a sword high. His crown sits on the ground beside him, like he’s stepping over it. On the floor, a cannon and a broken helmet lie nearby, as if he just defeated them. The crown and weapons suggest this isn’t just a person—it’s a symbol. The artist used quick, sharp lines to show movement and power, almost like a story in one scene. If you like this style, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build depth with ink alone.

About the artist

Artist

French early 16th Century

A French draftsman from the early 1500s filled sheets of laid paper with tiny, sharp-tongued instructions—ink sketches paired with warnings like “Do Not Eat Your Heart Out” or “Feed Not Things That Have Sharp Claws.”…

See the richer artist page