The death of Cato the Younger.

Drawing, pen and black ink, with red wash, 23,5 x 32,8 cm, laid paper, unsigned (some min. tears at edges, some creases, old glue marks at upper edge, min. foxing).

Under double-sided passe-partout.

Dramatic scene in an ancient setting with a man on his bed surrounded by a large crowd of mourning figures. Attributed in graphite at lower edge "dessin original de Nicolas Poussin". Amidst his vast oeuvre of paintings, Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) was also a prolific draughtsman, dedicating a significant portion of his study to drawings and sketches after the masterworks of earlier generations. These drawings, many of which are still documented today, reveal both Poussin’s talents as an artist and his fascination with the classical world. They show deft strokes, combined with subtle shading, which can be seen in the present sheet.
On verso: Study sketch for a Classical scene. Pen and brown ink, with brush and brown wash, over black chalk. A study drawing and composition sketch for an unidentified painting. The technique and execution are very much in line with Poussin's attributed drawings, such as "The Holy Family on the Steps", in the The Morgan Library & Museum, New York (inv. 1909; III,71).
Ref. A. Blunt, The Drawings of Poussin, London 1979.