Two horsemen dueling with pistols, one seen from behind riding towards the left, one riding towards right, from 'Various cavalry exercises' (Diverses exercices de cavalerie) 1642 - 1645

This etching, "Two Horsemen Dueling with Pistols", is part of a larger series titled "Various Cavalry Exercises" by Stefano della Bella, an Italian artist renowned for his dynamic depictions of military subjects. Created between 1642 and 1645, the work captures the intensity of a duel between two horsemen, one seen from behind riding towards the left, the other riding towards the right, their pistols firing. The scene is rendered with a sense of immediacy, the horses’ movement conveying the speed and danger of the action, and the etched lines emphasizing the energy and detail of the figures. The drawing is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and its small dimensions highlight the intimate nature of the scene.