Nude sketch to the assailant to the painting ‘Martyrdom of St. Matthias’ 1866 - 1867

Józef Simmler created this nude sketch for the painting ‘Martyrdom of St. Matthias’ using pencil. Notice the figure’s muscular build and determined gaze as he grips what appears to be a tool for violence. This figure embodies a recurring motif in art history: the aggressor, present from ancient depictions of battle to Renaissance portrayals of biblical scenes. Consider, for example, how the figures of Roman soldiers are echoed in the henchmen found in Caravaggio's paintings. Here, the assailant stands, poised and ready to strike. There's a psychological tension palpable in this sketch; the way the artist captures the figure's anticipation, the coiled energy before action, engages our subconscious. This psychological portrayal of intent is a powerful force, revealing the dark undercurrents of human behavior, and speaks to the enduring fascination with conflict and aggression that permeates our cultural memory. It is an illustration of our internal, cyclical need to create both victim and perpetrator.