Hercules and Nessus

Marcantonio Raimondi

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing depicting a scene with a centaur. The image shows a centaur engaged in a confrontation with a nude figure. The figure is mounted on the centaur and is holding a weapon with one hand and gripping the centaur's hair with the other hand. The scene includes a barren tree and a flowing ribbon with a Latin phrase above the central figure. The drawing uses detailed line work to show musculature and movement, and features a classical mythological theme typical in renaissance artworks.