Sacrificial Death of Marcus Curtius
around 1550/52 | Paolo Caliari, gen. Veronese
With its bold perspective, Veronese aimed with this picture at surprising the viewer, an effect which precisely corresponded with the Mannerist taste of the period with its delight in the visually unusual and the artistically playful. The scene depicted here is from the mythical history of Rome: to reconcile the Gods and to save Rome, the heroic Roman Marcus Curtius, after hearing the Oracle pronounce, throws himself down a fissure in the earth at the Forum Romanum. Perhaps originally used as ceiling decoration.
With its bold perspective, Veronese aimed with this picture at surprising the viewer, an effect which precisely corresponded with the Mannerist taste of the period with its delight in the visually unusual and the artistically playful. The scene depicted here is from the mythical history of Rome: to reconcile the Gods and to save Rome, the heroic Roman Marcus Curtius, after hearing the Oracle pronounce, throws himself down a fissure in the earth at the Forum Romanum. Perhaps originally used as ceiling decoration.
Artist:
Paolo Caliari, gen. Veronese (1528 Verona - 1588 Venedig) DNB
Time:
around 1550/52
Object Name
Painting
Culture
Italian, Venetian
Material/technology:
Canvas
Dimensions:
D: 239 cm
Copyright
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie
Invs.
Gemäldegalerie, 6744
Provenance
Coll. Leopold Wilhelm
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