Nessus and Deianira

With a surprising sense of drama Thorvaldsen used this motif in a couple of reliefs. The drawing is presumably a pre-study for one of these. According to legend the centaur Nessus had the task of ensuring that Hercules and Deianira made it safely across the river Euenos. But the history takes a violent turn, as Nessus instead abducts Deianira.