The Rape of the Sabines
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1600
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows a violent scene from Roman myth. A soldier drags a woman by her hair while others fight in the background. The muscles and clothes look real, thanks to tiny lines cut into the metal plate. The artist used cross-hatching to create shadows and depth. The lines are so fine they almost fool your eye into thinking this metal sheet is a real crowd. Engravings like this were how people shared dramatic stories before photography. Try your own cross-hatching on a blank page to see how it works.
![The Challenge [right]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/75162e00e6876b27/thumb.webp)
