Capricci di varie battaglie 1635

Johann Wilhelm Baur created this print called "Capricci di varie battaglie," or "Caprices of various battles," sometime in the first half of the 17th century. The scene teems with conflict, as soldiers on horseback clash with spears and bows. Baur was working at a time when Europe was undergoing near constant military conflict, like the Thirty Years War. This etching, made in Germany, makes references to battles with the Ottoman Empire, and would have been made for a print market hungry for sensational images. The image makes meaning through its display of exotic weaponry, costume, and horsemanship. The term "capriccio" suggests the image's basis in fantasy. It is as much a product of the imagination as it is a document of actual historical encounters. Art historical research into the artist’s biography, the history of costume, and military technology can help us better understand the image's meaning as a cultural artifact. We can see how Europe viewed its neighbors and rivals.