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Studies for the Rape of the Sabine Women [verso]

Pirro Ligorio

1548

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Studies for the Rape of the Sabine Women [verso] is a 1548 ink by Pirro Ligorio, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Pirro Ligorio
When & what style?: 1548 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a messy crowd of people tangled together. Some are standing, others are falling or reaching out. The lines are quick and rough, like hurried notes. No colors—just brown ink on paper. The artist didn’t clean up the lines. That’s the point. It’s more about figuring out poses than making it pretty. Look up cross-hatching next to see how artists build shadows with lines.