Soldaat met strijdhamer c. 1656 - 1657

Salvator Rosa created this etching of a soldier with a hammer in Italy in the 17th century. Rosa was a rebellious artist, weary of the institutionalisation of art training, and he became known for his wild, romantic depictions of nature and his banditti subjects, and his etchings gave him the freedom to explore these. The image shows a figure dressed in what was considered oriental dress at the time, leaning on a hammer. It's useful to consider how European artists have depicted people from other cultures and how those representations reflect power dynamics between Europe and the rest of the world. How does Rosa portray the soldier, and what does it tell us about European attitudes towards other cultures during this period? To find out more about Rosa's world, consider the histories of colonialism, trade, and cultural exchange during the 17th century. We might also ask questions about the artist's own political views and how they might have influenced his work.