Battle Scene: a Cavalry Engagement 1635 - 1676

Jacques Courtois created this drawing of a Cavalry Engagement using pen and brown ink with gray wash on paper. Courtois, also known as Il Borgognone, lived during a time of frequent and brutal conflicts in Europe. The artist specialized in battle scenes, a genre that often glorified military power and heroism, but here the representation feels different, doesn't it? This drawing captures the chaos and violence of war, but also the intense physicality and emotional experience. The energy of the figures, the horses rearing, the soldiers clashing – it's all conveyed with incredible dynamism. Consider the artist’s position; as a painter he’s not on the battlefield, but producing a commodity that can be consumed by the victors of war. "Battle Scene" provides a glimpse into the visceral reality of these power struggles.