Betrayal and Death of the Daughter of Spurio Tarpeo
Primary
Luca Cambiaso
(Moneglia, Italy, 1527–El Escorial, Spain, 1585)
NationalityItalian, Europe
Datecirca 1565
MediumPen and brown ink with brush and brown wash, squared in red chalk
DimensionsSheet: 8 1/4 × 11 7/8 in. (20.9 × 30.2 cm)
Credit LineBlanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, The Suida-Manning Collection, 2017.958
Rights Statement
Collection AreaPrints and Drawings
Object number2017.958
On View
Not on viewTarpeia, the daughter of Roman general Spurio Tarpeo, betrayed the fortress under her father’s command to the Sabines, but ironically was crushed when their forces entered. This was one of the secondary scenes of Roman history in the Villa Cattaneo-Imperiale, the first of the grand secular schemes executed by Cambiaso independent of Bergamasco. Stressing massing and light over de-scription, this is the preparatory study for the composition.
Exhibitions
