Front view of Laocoon’s torso 1628 - 1630

Willem Panneels’ “Front view of Laocoon’s torso” (1628-1630) is a red chalk drawing depicting the upper body of the famous sculpture of Laocoon, a Trojan priest who was punished by the gods for warning of the dangers of the Trojan Horse. Panneels’ careful depiction of the sculpture’s musculature emphasizes the classical tradition of anatomical study and the emphasis on idealized human form that dominated Renaissance and Baroque art. The drawing, now held by the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, is a testament to Panneels’ early artistic career, as he died at the young age of 34.