Fortitude
1470
Giovanni Bellini’s 1470 sketch brings the allegorical virtue of Fortitude to life with surprising tenderness. Instead of a warrior brandishing a weapon, we see a woman in flowing Renaissance robes gently embracing a roaring lion, taming the beast with pure calmness. The rapid, energetic pen strokes capture the tension between the wild animal and the serene figure, showing how Bellini mastered human emotion even in quick studies. It’s a fascinating glimpse into how Renaissance artists visualized abstract concepts like courage not as brute strength, but as quiet, inner resolve.
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