Laocoön 1696

Hendrick van Beaumont's 1696 red chalk drawing, "Laocoön," depicts the famous sculpture of the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons being strangled by serpents, a popular subject in Renaissance art. The drawing captures the dramatic struggle of the figures, with serpentine forms wrapping tightly around their limbs. Van Beaumont's skillful use of red chalk creates a sense of tension and pathos, conveying the agony of the scene and the tragedy of Laocoön's fate.