Pyramus and Thisbe

Lucas van Leyden

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts two full-body depictions of people in a detailed scene. The person on the left is in a standing position, slightly bent at the knees, holding a sword pointed at the ground. This person has delicate facial features with their head slightly turned to the side, and long flowing hair with a headdress. They wear a flowing dress with billowing sleeves and fabric secured with tied sashes around the waist. The person is near a reclined man on the right, who is lying on a grassy area with one leg bent, and is dressed in a protective, armored outfit including padded sleeves and pants, with a cloak draping over one arm. His face is tilted upwards, and his long hair cascades over the ground. In the background to the left, an elegant fountain with statues and water streams is visible, and trees frame the scene on the right, with a dog sniffing the ground near the base of a tree. The setting appears to be an outdoor scene, possibly in a garden or park, with intricate detailing in both the figures and the surrounding landscape.