Foot Combat with Longswords c. 1512 - 1515

This watercolor on paper depicts two figures engaged in foot combat with longswords. Here, the sword is more than a weapon; it is a symbol of honor, strength, and the societal structures that define the players’ roles. Consider the raised sword, a gesture we see echoed through time in classical depictions of military power or even religious exaltation. Think of the Winged Victory of Samothrace, where the goddess Nike, though missing her arms, embodies triumph and divine favor through her poised stance, not unlike the stance of the figures depicted in the watercolor on display. The act of combat itself is a recurring motif—a dance of aggression and skill that goes back to ancient gladiatorial contests. It’s a potent reminder of our primal instincts, where conflict serves as both a destructive force and a means of affirming identity and status. This primal instinct, this agonistic impulse, is a deep, almost subconscious aspect of human experience, and it is one that we are constantly re-enacting in various forms throughout history. Symbols, gestures, and motifs recur, evolve, and resurface in different historical contexts and across epochs.