Nessus and Deianira
Medium
Pen and black ink, with brush and pale brown wash, over black chalk, heightened with lead white (discolored), on blue laid paper
Dimensions
28.1 × 29.2 cm (11 1/8 × 11 1/2 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
95881
Art Historical Context
Behold the dramatic *Nessus and Deianira a masterful pen and ink drawing from the Circle of Vincenzo Camini, a prominent Neoclassical artist active in early 19th Rome. This undated work captures a pivotal moment from Greek mythology the centaur Nessus attempting to abductianira, wife of the hero Heracles. Camuccini's circle, including his studio assistants and followers, excelled in evoking the grandeur of classical antiquity through poised figures and emotional intensity, blending heroic scale with refined elegance characteristic of Neoclassicism. Executed on blue laid paper—a favored suppor...