Marcus Atilius Regulus in a barrel while two men are hammering in the nails, various figures throughout
Medium
Engraving; first state of two
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 13 in. × 16 7/16 in. (33 × 41.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.629
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking engraving captures a dramatic moment from ancient Roman history: the legendary death of Marcus Atilius Regulus, a consul captured during the First Punic War. According to tradition, Regulus was returned to Carthage, where he endured torture inside a barrel lined with nails—an image of stoic endurance that later symbolized Roman virtue and self-sacrifice. The composition, designed by Giulio Romano and engraved by Diana Scultori, shows two men hammering nails into the barrel while surrounding figures react with varied expressions of horror and resolve. Created between 1555 and 157...