The death of Alcibiades.

Drawing, pen and black ink, brown wash, heightened with white, 37,5 x 54,5 cm, thick laid paper, unsigned (several tiny tears in the edges, pin-holes in all corners).

Spectacular antique scene. Ms. note on the verso identifies the scene as the death of the Athenian statesman Alcibiades. He played a major role in the second half of the Second Punic War as a strategic advisor, military commander, and politician. During the course of the Peloponnesian War, Alcibiades changed his political allegiance several times. In 404 BC, as he was about to set out for the Persian court, his residence was surrounded and set on fire. Seeing no chance of escape he rushed out on his assassins, dagger in hand, and was killed by a shower of arrows. Probably a design drawing for a larger project (e.g. painting, fresco, tapestry).