Art Institute of Chicago

The Departure of Marcus Attilius Regulus for Carthage

Jacques-Louis DavidLinkedCulture matchlcp-abacad3af207

Date: 1785/86
Medium: Pen and black ink and brush and black ink wash and opaque white watercolor with black chalk and touches of brown watercolor on blue laid paper
Culture: France
Department: Prints and Drawings
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 50397

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

In David’s powerful study, the defeated Roman general Marcus Atilius Regulus, refusing the entreaties of his wife, insists on being sent back to Carthage to be executed. The relief-like drawing, seemingly carved from stone, boldly combines a sober setting and technique (black ink, white wash) with extreme theatricality, like a scene performed onstage.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line: Clarence Buckingham Collection
Provenance: By descent to the artist’s son, Eugène [Lugt 839]; sold, April 17, 1826, J. L. David studio sale, lot 53 to M. Musigny for 1963 francs [Paris 1989]. Possibly sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, November 21-22, 1859, M. Mayor sale, lot 41. Possibly sold, May 2, 1863, lot 131. Édouard Desperet (1804-1865) [Lugt 721]; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, June 7-13, 1865, Desperet sale, lot 537, to le Blanc for 54 francs [Rosenberg and Prat 2002]. Baron de Beurnonville, Paris; sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, February 16-19, 1885, lot 291. Sold, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 1970, no cat.. Henri Baderou (1990-1991), Paris [Paris 1989]. Sold by Herman Shickman Gallery, New York, to the Art Institute, 1976.