Death of Petronius 1904

Konstantin Makovsky’s “Death of Petronius” is a dramatic depiction of the Roman author’s death. Created in 1904, the work is characterized by a vibrant and gestural brushstroke, giving it a sense of immediacy and capturing the chaotic energy of the scene. The figures are loosely rendered, with a focus on the emotional intensity of their interactions. The painting alludes to Petronius’s famous suicide by bloodletting, which he is said to have carried out in a grand and theatrical manner.