Studies for ‘Hercules at the Crossroads’ and for the ‘Nativity’ c. 1748

Curator: This is a drawing by Pompeo Batoni, titled "Studies for 'Hercules at the Crossroads' and for the ‘Nativity’," dating from around 1748. He rendered it with red chalk. Editor: There’s something captivating about the unfinished quality. The figures, though clearly defined, seem to emerge from the very texture of the paper. It has an immediacy to it. Curator: Precisely! These are preparatory sketches, offering insight into Batoni's artistic process as he planned out large-scale history paintings. Knowing this helps understand how art academies promoted history painting as the highest genre, celebrating virtue and public morality through narrative. Editor: The dynamism in Hercules' pose is quite striking; there is something beautiful in the use of contrapposto. How do you interpret that gesture? Curator: Well, "Hercules at the Crossroads" is an allegory about choosing between Virtue and Vice. His raised arm, perhaps directed at Virtue, suggests his moment of deliberation, staged here to reinforce classical ideals prevalent in aristocratic circles during the Grand Tour. Editor: And note the contrast to the tender scene of the Nativity beside him. Batoni masterfully juxtaposes classical heroism with Christian humility, rendered beautifully in the soft folds of red chalk on the robes of Mary. Curator: The placement of both suggests his mastery of appealing to different demographics. Batoni ran the most successful studio in Rome. The market defined production! Editor: The crosshatching lends volume and weight to the figures, especially Hercules. There's real skill there; red chalk isn’t the easiest medium to work with. Curator: His technical skills became almost a selling point during this period. Patrons saw in Batoni both this grace, a kind of polished veneer reflecting wealth and the image of themselves he promoted. It made his version of "virtue" very desirable, I would argue. Editor: Ultimately, this sheet offers insight not only into Batoni's individual artistry but also the values his work would eventually champion in monumental form. Curator: A telling reminder that even in sketches, the social world is present.