Leaving Troy

Art Historical Context

This evocative drawing, *Leaving Troy*, captures a pivotal moment from classical mythology, likely depicting the flight of Aeneas and his family from the burning city as recounted in Virgil’s *Aeneid Created between the late sixteenth and mid-seventeenth centuries by Flemish painter Sebastiaen Vrancx and Dutch master Hendrick Goltzius, the work reflects the period’s fascination with ancient narratives amid the cultural exchanges of the Northern Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Both artists were active in the Low Countries, where such scenes blended dramatic storytelling with emerging interests in history and human emotion. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush washes over graphite, accented by red chalk lines, the drawing showcases the fluid, expressive techniques favored by Goltzius, renowned for his Mannerist style and printmaking innovations, alongside Vrancx’s skill in rendering dynamic figures. At just 7⅝ by 6⅞ inches, this intimate sheet highlights the importance of preparatory drawings in the era, serving as studies for larger paintings or engravings while demonstrating masterful control of light, shadow, and movement. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints collection through a generous gift, the work offers visitors a window into collaborative artistic practices and the enduring appeal of epic tales in European art.