Marcus Curtius Leaping into the Abyss c. 1530

"Marcus Curtius Leaping into the Abyss" is a pen and ink drawing on paper by Pseudo-Pacchia, an artist whose identity remains unknown. This drawing, executed around 1530, depicts the Roman hero Marcus Curtius riding a rearing horse and leaping into a chasm, a depiction of the legendary sacrifice he made to save the Roman city. This scene serves as a powerful representation of bravery and self-sacrifice, a common theme in art of the Italian Renaissance. This drawing is currently in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.