Laurel-Crowned Rabbit in Ancient Rome – Oil Painting

An oil painting of a rabbit in ancient Rome. The rabbit stands in a sunlit Roman villa courtyard with marble columns and a mosaic floor, wearing a light toga and a laurel wreath on its head. It holds a rolled scroll in one paw and an olive branch in the other. Behind it, a colonnade opens to a bright courtyard with olive trees, a fountain, and distant aqueducts. Rendered in thick, visible brushstrokes with impasto, the color palette is warm earth tones—ochre, burnt sienna, umber, ivory—with emerald highlights. The rabbit’s fur is soft and glossy, its eyes bright and curious. The scene blends whimsy with classical grandeur, featuring carved reliefs, sculpted busts, and a frescoed wall in the background. Lighting is dramatic tenebrism reminiscent of Caravaggio with intensified shadows and golden highlights, creating a timeless old-master feel.