Metgezellen van Cadmus door een draak verslonden 1696

Hendrick van Beaumont’s drawing depicts ‘Metgezellen van Cadmus door een draak verslonden’ using a sanguine crayon technique. The composition is dynamic, with a large dragon coiled around the bodies of Cadmus's companions. The monochromatic red-brown hue creates a sense of drama and antiquity. Beaumont's use of line is particularly striking. Fine, wiry lines define the musculature of the figures and the scales of the dragon, lending a sense of movement and tension to the scene. The contrast between the smooth skin of the men and the textured hide of the dragon highlights the vulnerability of the human form when confronted by nature. The overall structure of the drawing relies on a play of light and shadow to create depth and volume. This work disrupts traditional representations of heroism by focusing on defeat and vulnerability. The dragon, a symbol often associated with chaos, overwhelms the human figures, challenging fixed notions of human dominance over nature. The drawing invites a re-evaluation of the relationship between humanity and the natural world.