Aeneas and His Companions Preparing Animals for Sacrifice n.d.

Avanzino Nucci made this pen and brown ink drawing, ‘Aeneas and His Companions Preparing Animals for Sacrifice,’ sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Nucci, working in Italy, would have understood the power of the Catholic Church and Papal States, but also, the enduring cultural capital of ancient Rome. This drawing pictures a scene from Virgil’s epic poem, the Aeneid. Aeneas, a Trojan hero, is shown here preparing a sacrifice to the gods, a common ritual in ancient Roman culture meant to ensure success in their endeavors. The setting appears to be a temple or sacred grove, with classical altars, vessels, and figures in draped togas. Such imagery would have resonated with the educated elite of Nucci’s time, who were steeped in classical literature and art. Nucci here revives antique themes and styles, while subtly reinforcing the values of piety and sacrifice, reflecting the complex interplay between classical heritage and Christian belief in early modern Italy. To understand this work fully, you could consider the social function of religious art during the Counter-Reformation, or study Renaissance interpretations of Virgil.