Rytter i romersk dragt med fjerprydet hjelm. Desuden to svage rødkridtsrids af stående og halvknælende mænd. 1717 - 1776

Jacques François Joseph Saly made this drawing of a rider in Roman costume with a feathered helmet, with red chalk sketches of standing and kneeling men, using pencil, red chalk and watercolor. The image speaks to the enduring fascination with classical antiquity during the 18th century. Made in Denmark, perhaps during Saly’s tenure as director of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, it reflects the era's neoclassical ideals, where ancient Rome was seen as a model of virtue and order. The Academy played a key role in shaping artistic tastes, promoting a style that was both grand and morally uplifting. The rider's idealized form and heroic attire serve as a visual code, referencing Roman military power and civic duty. The sketched figures in the background hint at the artist's broader exploration of the human figure, possibly in preparation for a larger sculptural work, for which Saly is best known. To fully appreciate this drawing, one might delve into the archives of the Royal Danish Academy or explore the artist's body of work. The meaning of this art is contingent on these things.