Ruiterslag / Allegorie op de Engelse oorlog 1784 - 1785

Jan Brandes created this sketch of a cavalry battle, likely during the English war. Notice how the artist captured the heat of battle. Swords are raised, guns are fired, and horses collide in a chaotic dance of death. The symbols of war—the weapons, the uniforms, the horses—speak to a long history of conflict, and the ever-present threat of violence. Consider the raised sword, a symbol of power and aggression, that dates back to antiquity. Think of the Roman gladius or the medieval broadsword. Yet here, its meaning is complicated by the context of modern warfare, where the sword is almost obsolete against firearms. The emotional intensity is palpable. Brandes captures the primal fear and aggression that drives men to war, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. This motif will continue to echo through art history in Delacroix's canvases or even in modern war films. It underscores the cyclical progression of conflict and its symbols. Each age repurposes these images, imbuing them with new meanings while still echoing the primal drives of humanity.