Lot 107: François-André Vincent , Paris 1746 - 1816 Mucius Scaevola before King Porsena Black and gray ink and brown-red wash over red chalk, with some ruled lines in black lead, on two joined sheets of paper; a piece of paper glued over the lower part of the

Black and gray ink and brown-red wash over red chalk, with some ruled lines in black lead, on two joined sheets of paper; a piece of paper glued over the lower part of the group of figures of Mucius Scaevola and centurions; signed and dated in brown ink, lower right: Vincent l'an VII-

measurements note 360 by 566 mm

Caius Mucius was a young Roman nobleman who, during the siege of Rome by Etruscan forces, penetrated the enemy lines to kill their leader, King Porsena. He slaughtered by mistake the King's secretary, who was sitting beside him, and was seized to be executed. To prove to Porsena how little he feared death, he thrust his right hand into the altar fire and let it burn. Seeing his bravery and endurance, the king released him and Mucius was thereafter known as Mucius Scaevola, or 'left-handed'. Another drawing for the composition is in the Albertina, Vienna, which appears to have been drawn before the present sheet, is slightly smaller in scale and executed in pen and brown wash. The composition is essentially the same, but the figures watching the scene are more numerous and animated. In the present drawing, however, Vincent has made the crowd's gestures more restrained, so that eye is not drawn away from the central figures. Instead of Porsena being surrounded by his soldiers, here the dias raises him above their level and his awe of Mucius is made clear. Furthermore, the soldier to the far right of the Albertina drawing points out into the crowd beyond the gate. In this sheet, he points towards Mucius, so leading the viewer back to the centre of the composition.