Illustratie bij Canto IX van Tasso's 'Gerusalemme Liberata' 1565 - 1630

Antonio Tempesta etched this illustration for Canto IX of Tasso's "Gerusalemme Liberata." Notice the chaotic battle scene dominated by horses and warriors locked in combat. The archer, drawing his bow, recalls the classical motif of Cupid, but here, the arrow brings not love, but death. The rearing horses, a motif echoing from antiquity to the Renaissance, symbolize power and virility, yet also the unbridled chaos of war. One might recall the horses of the Apocalypse, ridden by figures of conquest, war, and death. This symbol has resurfaced time and again. Think of Leonardo’s unfinished "Adoration of the Magi," where horses similarly embody the powerful, untamed forces at play. These symbols create a powerful, subconscious connection with historical and cultural memory. Here, the collective memory of conflict and its representation taps into our deepest fears and fascinations, reminding us of the cyclical nature of history and the enduring power of these archetypal images.