Manlius Torquatus Condemning His Son to Death

Berthélemy was a successful painter of subjects from Roman history and large-scale ceiling designs. This drawing, considered lost until it came to light in 2015, depicts Manlius Torquatus, an extremely successful general who went on to become consul and later dictator of the Roman Republic. Seated at right in a chair on the dais, with upraised arm and averted face, he condemns to death his son, also called Manlius, who had disobeyed orders on the battlefield. Standing at left, the general's son is surrounded by soldiers who express grief and argue his case. The scene takes place in a military tent, framed by tasseled fabric. Weapons and military insignia can be seen throughout the image, reinforcing the military setting and code of ethics.

A painting of the same subject is in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours. It differs from the present sheet in its vertical format and many small changes. The drawing, dated 1774, was apparently done a decade before the painting, likely as an autonomous work.