Romulus and Remus Sheltered by Faustulus

Romulus and Remus Sheltered by Faustulus, painted around 1643, depicts the legendary discovery of Rome's founders by the shepherd who would raise them. The subject held obvious significance in Rome, where the founding myth remained a vital element of civic identity. Cortona's treatment brings Baroque grandeur to the pastoral scene, elevating the humble shepherd to heroic status. Characteristic of Cortona's approach, the work displays exuberant illusionism, dynamic compositions, rich color, grand decorative schemes.

The composition balances the vulnerability of the infants with the protective strength of Faustulus, set against an idealized pastoral landscape. Cortona's warm, golden palette and dynamic figure arrangements give the mythological subject an immediacy and energy characteristic of Roman Baroque narrative painting.