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Fleeing Barbarian

Polidoro da Caravaggio

1524

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

Fleeing Barbarian is a 1524 chalk by Polidoro da Caravaggio, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Polidoro da Caravaggio
When & what style?: 1524 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a muscular man running, his body twisted as he reaches backward with one arm. His hair is wild, and his face is tense, like he’s in a hurry. The lines are rough and fast, almost like scribbles, with no smooth shading—just quick strokes to show movement. The artist focused on the raw energy of the figure, not details. The paper is old and slightly stained, making the dark lines stand out even more. Next, look up Renaissance to see how this sketch fits into that time’s art.