Studies after the Antique: The Fall of Phaëthon, Horses, Reclining Women with Children (recto); Studies after the Antique: An Altar or Urn, Lion Attacking a Horse (verso)

Art Historical Context

Amico Aspertini's *Studies after the Antique*recto and verso), created during his lifetime (1474–1552), exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity. On the recto, intricate sketches capture the dramatic *Fall of Phaëthon*—the mythological youth plummeting from his sun chariot—alongside dynamic horses and reclining women with children, likely inspired by ancient Roman reliefs or sarcophagi. The verso features an ornate altar or urn and a fierce lion attacking a horse, Aspertini's keen eye for classical motifs of struggle and grandeur. As a Bolognese artist influenced by Rome's ruins, Aspertini was renowned for his meticulous, sometimes grotesque interpretations of antique sculpture, bridging medieval and High Renaissance styles. These studies served as vital training tools, helping artists master anatomy, movement, and composition amid the era's humanist revival of Greco-Roman art. Crafted with black chalk underdrawings heightened by pen and brown ink, this double-sided sheet (14-5/8 x 10-1/4 in.) reveals Aspertini's virtuoso technique: fluid lines convey energy and depth on humble paper. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection (Rogers Fund, 1919), it offers visitors a window into the creative process that fueled masterpieces like Raphael's frescoes.