The Sacrifice of Coresus
Most people know Fragonard for his playful, flirtatious scenes like 'The Swing,' but this intense drawing reveals his serious, dramatic side. It illustrates a tragic Greek myth where the priest Coresus, commanded by an oracle to sacrifice the woman he loved, Callirhoe, dramatically turns the knife on himself instead to save her. The composition is incredibly theatrical, with swirling clouds and fainting onlookers, capturing a moment of high opera. This piece was actually a design for a royal tapestry commissioned by King Louis XV, proving Fragonard was a master of grand historical drama, not just romantic secrets.
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