Diana and Apollo Slaughtering the Children of Niobe
c. 1550
Medium
red chalk, squared with black chalk and indented for transfer, on two joined sheets of laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 36 x 675 cm (14 3/16 x 265 3/4 in.) (irregular)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Jeffrey E. Horvitz
Accession Number
2008.117.3
Art Historical Context
In the mid-16th century, artist, architect, and antiquarianro Ligorio created this dramatic drawing, *Diana and Apollo Slaughter the Children of Niobe around 1550. Drawing from mythology, it depicts the gods Apollo and Diana punishing the boastful queen Niobe byaying her children—a tale of hubris and divine retribution popularized in ancient texts like Ovid's *Metamorphoses*. Ligorio known for his Mannerist style with elongated figures and dynamic compositions, likely prepared this as a design for a grand fresco, tapestry, or architectural decoration, reflecting the Renaissance fascination wit...