The She-Wolf with Romulus and Remus
before 1842
This charming sketch brings the ultimate Roman origin story to life with a rustic, Romantic flair. On the left, the famous she-wolf tenderly nurses the infant twins Romulus and Remus, the future founders of Rome, while a rugged shepherd—likely Faustulus—stumbles upon the miraculous scene from the right, staff in hand. Moritz von Schwind, a master of German Romanticism, captures the moment of discovery in a wide, frieze-like composition that feels like a snapshot from an ancient legend. The use of white highlights against the brown paper gives the scene a glowing, almost magical quality, typical of Schwind's illustrative style.
- Technique
- Pen and ink with white heightening
- Material
- Paper