Cavalry Skirmish with a Fallen Drummer at Left 1763

Curator: This frenetic drawing before us is “Cavalry Skirmish with a Fallen Drummer at Left,” created by Francesco Casanova around 1763. Editor: What strikes me first is its overwhelming sense of movement and chaos. It’s as if the artist captured a moment of pure, unbridled frenzy. It is not just war; it’s the swirling energy around a clash of men and beasts. Curator: Absolutely. Casanova masterfully uses charcoal and possibly oil pastel to create this sense of dynamism. The eye is pulled in so many directions, struggling to keep pace with the battle. Notice how he uses light and shadow? Editor: Yes, that contrast is key. The sudden bursts of light feel like desperate gasps amidst all the carnage. The fallen drummer boy adds such a poignant layer. His drum silent, perhaps a metaphor for lost voices. Curator: I see him, too, as representing vulnerability amidst brute force. Drums symbolize the rhythm of war, but here it's silenced. Perhaps pointing to the futility? Editor: Or a critique of leadership that sacrifices innocence. Horses and swords feature prominently, iconic symbols of power and conflict—both carry cultural and emotional weight, harkening back to a long history of valorizing aggression, whilst also representing the individual swallowed in the violence of groups. Curator: Casanova really captures a fleeting moment, doesn't he? An instant of fury and loss, suspended forever. It is that kind of image that allows you to dream back into those difficult periods, not quite romanticising, but being conscious of the moment as it stands on its own, separated from all we hear. Editor: Yes, this drawing lingers precisely because it’s incomplete. A vivid snapshot hinting at an enormous battle scene.