Artwork
Man Entwined by Two Snakes
Man Entwined by Two Snakes is a drawing by the Renaissance artist Il Pordenone. It dates from 1527 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Artists all over Italy copied it, but here, the artist zoomed in on just one figure, making the struggle feel more personal.
A man twists in pain, wrapped tight by two thick snakes. His muscles strain, veins bulge, and his face shows fear.
This isn’t just any snake attack—it’s a nod to a famous ancient sculpture dug up in Rome in 1506. The original showed a Trojan priest and his sons dying the same way. Artists all over Italy copied it, but here, the artist zoomed in on just one figure, making the struggle feel more personal.
To see how others handled the same story, look up *Italy, 16th century* paintings.
Overview
Man Entwined by Two Snakes is a drawing that depicts a figure struggling with serpents, referencing the ancient Greek sculpture Laocoön and His Sons.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing shows a man twisted in agony, wrapped by two snakes, echoing the myth of Laocoön, a Trojan priest attacked by sea serpents sent by Athena. The artist focuses on a single figure, intensifying the emotional impact.
Technique & Style
The artist employs chiaroscuro, using dark and light inks on blue-toned paper to emphasize the sculptural quality of the body, highlighting the strained muscles and bulging veins.
Context
The drawing is linked to the 1506 excavation of Laocoön and His Sons in Rome, which inspired numerous copies and variations among Italian artists.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pordenone, Il Pordenone in Italian, is the byname of Giovanni Antonio de’ Sacchis (c.
