The legendary exploit of Roman Marcus Curtius was depicted by many German Renaissance painters due to their interest in outstanding Romans, German martial spirit, a sense of spiritual continuity with the Romans, the identification of this feat with Christian virtues, the interest in nature (the hero’s “antagonist” was a natural phenomenon). Among these pieces, the engravings of M. Wolgemut and L. Cranach, drawings of A. Altdorfer and W. Huber, paintings of L. Refinger and H. Baldung Grien are of the highest artistic value.
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