Alexander the Great and Bucephalus c. 1553

Taddeo Zuccaro created this drawing of Alexander the Great and Bucephalus using pen and brown ink with brown wash. Notice how the composition is constructed through dynamic lines and contrasting forms to create a sense of drama. Zuccaro uses a limited palette of brown tones, employing hatching and washes to model forms and suggest depth. The figures are rendered with energetic strokes that convey movement and tension. The rearing horse and the struggling figure of Alexander are positioned to create a diagonal thrust across the picture plane, contributing to the dynamism of the scene. We can see how Zuccaro uses light and shadow to emphasize the musculature of the horse and the straining body of Alexander, heightening the emotional impact of the encounter. Ultimately, the drawing captures a moment of intense action and struggle. Its formal elements, combined with the symbolic weight of the subject matter, invite ongoing interpretation and re-evaluation.