Throughout his career, Salviati produced drawings for various purposes and in a variety of media that display artifice and stylistic f lair. This sheet is notable for its deftly applied brown wash, including thick strokes, quick accents, and sinuous contours. The result is eloquently pictorial, which suggests that Salviati may have intended it as an independent work of art.

Salviati’s bravura graphic performance is matched by his deft interpretation of the subject, especially in the balletic pose of the young soldier balanced on one foot as he gingerly lifts the curtain.