Aeneas rescues Anchises from burning Troy, 1687

About the Work

Under the influence of France, Holland developed a penchant for neoclassicist art around 1700. In terms of form and content alike, this drawing is a case in point. His father on his back and the rest of his family in tow, Aeneas flees Troy after its conquest by the Greeks. After a long odyssey, the hero will reach Italy, where his descendants will found Rome (Virgil, Aeneid). The brush-and-ink drawing immerses the scene in dramatic light. In addition to his paintings, van Mieris also produced elaborate drawings of this kind as artworks in their own right for collectors.