Pyramus and Thisbe 1617 - 1655

Cornelis Schut made this drawing of Pyramus and Thisbe in pen and brown ink, and brown wash, sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It shows the tragic end of two lovers from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The image depicts Pyramus and Thisbe after they have both committed suicide, with Pyramus' sword still protruding from Thisbe's chest. The classical subject would have been seen as educational and uplifting, and the flowing, energetic style of the drawing would have been admired as evidence of the artist’s skillful hand. Schut was based in Antwerp, a city which remained Catholic during the period, and his workshop fulfilled many commissions for the church. We can speculate that his choice of subject, a warning against rash decisions, might have been designed to promote sober reflection in his audience. To understand this artwork more fully, we might research the role of classical literature in 17th-century Antwerp, or the ways in which artists used drawing to develop their ideas. By understanding the social conditions that shaped its creation, we can better appreciate the meaning and significance of this drawing.