Aeneas redt zijn vader 1600 - 1604

Mattheus Terwesten made this drawing, Aeneas redt zijn vader, with pen in brown ink and brush in brown wash. The composition centers on Aeneas, depicted carrying his father, Anchises, from the burning city of Troy, while his son, Ascanius, hurries alongside. Terwesten uses a dynamic arrangement of figures to draw our eyes upward. The contrast between light and shadow heightens the drama of the scene. Note how the artist uses line and wash to model the figures, giving them volume and weight. The sketch-like quality of the drawing adds a sense of immediacy, capturing a moment of intense action and emotion. Here, Terwesten engages with the classical tradition. It is an exploration of familial duty and heroism, rendered through the formal language of Baroque art. Consider how the deliberate use of light and shadow, combined with the fluid lines, adds an emotional depth, inviting us to contemplate the weight of history and the burdens of legacy.