The Battle around the Shield and Lance c. 1527

Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio created this engraving, "The Battle around the Shield and Lance," in Italy, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. The print depicts a chaotic scene of combat, bodies strewn across the ground and warriors on horseback locked in battle. The image derives its meaning from its references to the visual culture of the Italian Renaissance. During this period, artists looked to classical antiquity for inspiration, and prints like this one often alluded to Roman military history in order to comment on contemporary social structures and political movements. The institutions of art, such as the print market, played an important role in disseminating these images and shaping their reception. To better understand this engraving, scholars consult a variety of resources, including historical texts, period engravings, and artist biographies. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context, and the role of the historian is to illuminate these connections.