Rape of Lucretia
1795
Medium
Pen and black ink with brush and brown wash, over black chalk, on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
43.5 × 27.6 cm (17 3/16 × 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
drawings (visual works)
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
81935
Art Historical Context
This evocative drawing by Italian artist Giuseppe Cades captures the tragic climax of the ancient Roman legend of Lucretia, whose assault by the tyrannical prince Tarquin spurred the overthrow of monarchy and the birth of the Roman Republic. Created in 1795, the work reflects the late eighteenth-century fascination with classical history as a source of moral and political inspiration, inviting viewers to contemplate themes of virtue, sacrifice, and civic duty. Cades rendered the scene with remarkable sensitivity using pen and black ink, brush and brown wash, and black chalk on ivory laid pape...