Death of Regulus 1615 - 1673

"Death of Regulus" is a drawing by Salvator Rosa, depicting the Roman general Marcus Atilius Regulus, executed by the Carthaginians in 250 BC. The artwork is executed in brown ink, showing a dramatic and chaotic scene of soldiers and civilians. Regulus, bound and blindfolded, is placed in a barrel with rocks to be rolled down a hill. The artwork's realism, detailed figures and dynamic composition are characteristic of Rosa’s style and capture the brutal moment of Regulus's execution. This drawing, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reveals Rosa's interest in historical and violent subjects, a common theme in his work.