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According to Roman mythology, an earthquake in 362 BC caused a deep pit to open up in the Roman Forum. The citizens of Rome tried in vain to fill it and were advised by the oracle that the gods demanded Rome’s most precious possession. A young soldier named Marcus Curtius knew that this was youth and the courage of the Romans. He rode his horse into the chasm, which closed over them both, so saving Rome.In this panel, Marcus Curtius raises his dagger as he urges his rearing horse towards the flaming chasm. The small size of the painting and its decorative quality suggest that it may have been made to embellish a piece of furniture, possibly a chest, in a domestic interior. Bacchiacca, who may have painted the panel, was involved in the decorations for the Borgherini Bedchamber, illustrating the life of Joseph (also in the National Gallery's collection), which was probably the most important commission for a Florentine interior at the time.

Marcus Curtius

Bacchiacca (1494–1557) (attributed to)

The National Gallery, London

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Notes

The National Gallery, London

London

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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