Venus llorando a Adonis
c. 1608-1612
Rubens captures raw grief in this energetic sketch of Venus mourning her lover Adonis. Even though it's just a preliminary drawing, you can feel the drama of the Baroque style in the sweeping lines and the way Venus's body curves over Adonis's lifeless form. Artists often used sketches like this to work out the composition before tackling a massive oil painting, and here you can see Rubens figuring out the emotional weight of the scene. It's a glimpse into the mind of a master at work, showing how he built tension and movement before adding a single drop of color.
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