Charles Nicolas Cochin, Lycurgus wounded in a sedition, engraving, eighteenth century

Beautiful red chalk engraving by gilles demarteau after a painting by charles nicolas cochin representing lycurgus wounded in the eye during a revolt of the spartan people. Lycurgus shows his bloodied face. His blood-red eye has just been pierced by the young alcander with a stick, because the laws that lycurgus had just proposed to sparta did not please society. When the eye is pierced, a mixture of terror and shame takes hold of spartan society. Charles nicolas cochin is a french engraver and draughtsman of the eighteenth century. Born to two engraving parents, he began practicing very early, which explains his talent and fame. He was also secretary of the royal academy of painting and sculpture and is known to have produced more than 1, 500 works. Copper engraving, by gilles demarteau after cochin. The red chalk drawing of cochin was made in 1760 and exhibited at the salon in 1761. This engraving was made in 1776 by gilles the elder, in red chalk. Dimensions with frame: h 22.8 inches l 26.18 inches.