Scene from Roman history 1600 - 1700

This anonymous 17th-century drawing from the Statens Museum for Kunst depicts a scene from Roman history. The detailed, yet unfinished, composition focuses on a group of Roman soldiers in various states of action. One soldier kneels while another stands, holding a large round shield with a decorative boss. The figures are rendered with an expressive line, and the drawing evokes a sense of drama and movement, characteristic of the Italian Renaissance.