Plague of Ashtod n.d.

"Plague of Ashtod" is a monochrome drawing on paper by Nicolas Poussin. The artwork depicts a scene of chaos and despair, with bodies strewn across the ground. The figures are depicted in various states of distress, some are fleeing, others are collapsed in exhaustion, and some are dead. The scene is set in a city square. The drawing is a study for a larger painting that Poussin never finished. The work exemplifies Poussin’s masterful skill in depicting historical scenes in a realistic and dramatic manner. The artwork’s central figure, a man in a tunic, gestures towards the bodies, bringing the viewer’s eye to the suffering and emphasizing the pervasiveness of the plague. This work, now at the Art Institute of Chicago, is a rare example of Poussin’s drawing style and offers a glimpse into his creative process.