Laocoön (recto); Battle of the Milvian Bridge (fragment) (verso)

1575

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance History Painting

Dominant colour

Laocoön (recto); Battle of the Milvian Bridge (fragment) (verso) is a 1575 by Unknown, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1575 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a struggling man wrapped in coils of snake, his face twisted in pain. On the back, a chaotic battle unfolds: soldiers clash with weapons, horses rear, and bodies tangle in the mud. The front sketch looks like a study for a famous ancient statue, while the back shows a messy, crowded fight scene. The lines are loose and quick, almost like a draft. Check out chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and shadow for drama.