Coriolanus persuaded by his Family to spare Rome

This painting of Coriolanus being persuaded by his family to spare Rome, around 1509, in the National Gallery London, treats an episode from Roman history that exemplified the power of familial bonds over military ambition. Such classical subjects decorated Renaissance palaces and civic buildings. Luca Signorelli was celebrated for his muscular treatment of the male nude in complex narrative scenes, anticipating Michelangelo in his emphasis on anatomy and foreshortening.

The confrontation between the warrior and his pleading family is staged with dramatic clarity. Signorelli's rendering of armored and draped figures demonstrates his command of both metallic and textile surfaces.