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Mercury and Pegasus

Charles Le Brun

1670

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

Mercury and Pegasus is a 1670 chalk by Charles Le Brun, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Charles Le Brun
When & what style?: 1670 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a winged figure standing on one leg, holding a long staff. Behind him, a horse with flowing mane and tail rears up, its front legs lifted. The lines are loose and expressive, with quick shading to suggest muscle and movement. The artist used soft black chalk and light gray wash to create a sense of light and shadow without hard outlines. This style was common in studies for larger works. Next, look up Baroque to see how this sketch fits into a bigger artistic style.