Artwork
Two Figures Struggling before a King
Two Figures Struggling before a King is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Cesare Nebbia. It dates from 1568 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Two Figures Struggling before a King is a drawing by Cesare Nebbia, created around 1568. It is executed in pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a tense scene with three figures: two individuals struggling in the foreground and a third, regally attired figure observing from beneath an arched doorway. The composition conveys a sense of conflict and drama.
Technique & Style
Nebbia's use of rapid, expressive lines and shading effectively captures the movement and emotional intensity of the scene. The figures are rendered with a sense of immediacy, as if frozen in a moment of turmoil.
Artist & collection
A Performance by the Commedia dell'Arte
Flagellation of Christ
The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee
The Generosity of Empress Pulcheria
Christ Crowned with Thorns
Spectators Amazed
Saints Peter and John Healing the Lame Man at the Golden Gate
Esther before Ahasuerus
Samson Destroying the Temple
Punchinello Arrested
Classical Figures Gathered around an Urn
Saint Homobono