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The Lictors Bringing Brutus the Bodies of His Sons

Jacques Louis David French

ca. 1788

Not on view

Although small in scale, this oil sketch is perhaps David’s darkest vision of the subject of the ancient Roman consul Brutus, who condemned his sons to death for betraying the newly founded republic. Contrary to his usual practice of moving the most graphic violence offstage as he progressed toward his final composition, the artist here inserts the gruesome detail of the lictors (Roman officers) holding aloft pikes bearing the heads of the two sons. It was an idea he would jettison in the final work.

The Lictors Bringing Brutus the Bodies of His Sons, Jacques Louis David (French, Paris 1748–1825 Brussels), Oil over pen and black ink, squared in black chalk, on paper laid down on canvas — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: The Lictors Bringing Brutus the Bodies of His Sons

Artist: Jacques Louis David (French, Paris 1748–1825 Brussels)

Date: ca. 1788

Medium: Oil over pen and black ink, squared in black chalk, on paper laid down on canvas

Dimensions: Sheet: 10 13/16 × 13 3/4 in. (27.5 × 35 cm)
Frame: 16 9/16 × 19 11/16 × 3 9/16 in. (42 × 50 × 9 cm)

Classification: Drawings

Credit Line: Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (NM 2683)

How Chalk Drawings are Made

How Chalk Drawings are Made

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How Ink Drawings are Made

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The Met's collection of drawings and prints—one of the most comprehensive and distinguished of its kind in the world—began with a gift of 670 works from Cornelius Vanderbilt, a Museum trustee, in 1880.