Orfeo ed Euridice (recto)
c. 1761
Fragonard is best known for his playful, frilly Rococo paintings, but this sketch is pure, frantic drama. It captures the exact split-second of the Greek myth where Orpheus breaks the one rule: don't look back. You can see the panic on his face as he turns, lyre in hand, while Eurydice is pulled back into the underworld, her body sliding away into the shadows. The loose, energetic lines make the scene feel like it's happening right now, full of motion and despair. It’s a great example of how a quick sketch can sometimes hold more emotion than a finished painting.
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