Boreas Abducting Orithyia
1640
This dynamic Baroque sketch captures the dramatic moment when Boreas, the god of the north wind, sweeps away the Athenian princess Orithyia into the sky. You can clearly see the grid lines drawn over the composition, a classic trick artists used to scale up their sketches for massive frescoes or paintings. The swirling clouds and the desperate reach of Orithyia perfectly showcase the high-energy, theatrical style of the 17th century. It's a fascinating glimpse into the artist's workshop, showing exactly how a masterpiece was planned before the final brushstrokes were even mixed.