Troilus and Cressida, Act IV, Scene V: The Fight Between Hector and Ajax II c. late 1780s - early 1790s

George Romney created this drawing of ‘Troilus and Cressida, Act IV, Scene V: The Fight Between Hector and Ajax II’ using pen and grey ink with grey wash. The initial impression is of a landscape charged with dynamic energy, achieved through the artist's use of diagonal lines and contrasting shades of grey. Romney’s composition harnesses the dynamism inherent in classical and Shakespearean themes to explore movement and drama. We see this in the positioning of the figures and horses caught mid-gallop, and in the strategic application of the grey wash that adds depth, creating a sense of spatial complexity. The sketch employs the semiotic language of the 18th century, where classicism was intertwined with theatricality and philosophical questioning. The artist uses form to challenge the viewer, and the emphasis on the diagonal lines, the tonal contrasts, the use of wash, not only captures a moment of theatrical drama, but engages with broader cultural values of the time.