Battle scene in a landscape with soldiers on horseback and several fallen men, another group of riders in the background (ca. 1520, Met-Objekt 5695)
Original title: Battle scene in a landscape with soldiers on horseback and several fallen men, another group of riders in the background
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many battle paintings of the period, which set the action at a distant remove, Marco Dente's engraving from around 1520 keeps the fight right up close to the viewer: mounted soldiers clash in the foreground, with wounded or dead men lying on the ground between them, while another group of riders joins the fray in the background. The wide landscape frames this dense mêlée.
Description
Horses and riders dominate the foreground: some animals charge forward, others have fallen and lie on the ground. The soldiers wear helmets and armour and wield swords and lances. Among them, several figures are shown on the ground, marked as wounded or dead. In the distance, another group of riders fights, while trees, rocks and a cloudy sky enclose the scene. The layout compresses the events into a tight juxtaposition of movement and stillness.
Context
Marco Dente, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, was working in Rome around 1520. A pupil of Marcantonio Raimondi, he specialised in reproductive prints after antique and contemporary models. For this battle scene, a lost design or a model by another artist probably served as the basis, as was usual for Dente's work. The sheet has been trimmed, which points to later use or collection.
Impact
The overlapping figures and dynamic horse movements create immediate drama. Fine lines and the detailed rendering of armour and weapons give the print a precise, almost documentary feel. The viewer is drawn into the thick of the battle without the scene losing its clarity.
Technique
As an engraving, an intaglio process in which the drawing is etched into a metal plate, Dente uses fine lines and hatching to model light and shadow as well as the textures of armour and landscape. The sheet, trimmed to 22.5 × 36.2 cm, has lost its original plate border.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)