Standing Warrior 1635 - 1699

Salvator Rosa made this drawing of a standing warrior with pen and brown ink in the 17th century. Rosa was Neapolitan by birth, which was then under Spanish rule. Standing Warrior shows a figure in armor holding a shield and a mace, evoking the military culture of Europe at the time. It might be seen as an allegory of power. The armor design and weaponry appear deliberately archaic, possibly alluding to antique precedents. Rosa lived in a time when powerful families had to defend their interests through armed force and this cultural memory may have inspired the work. How we understand the social and political role of art like this depends on the research tools that art historians bring to the task. By combining a close attention to the image with insights from history, we can better appreciate art's rich and varied meanings.