A mortar and a cannon, both mounted on carriages, a soldier shown from the back stands to the left, from 'Equipment needed for Fortification' (Recueil de diverses pièces très nécessaires à la fortification) 1638 - 1643

Stefano della Bella created this etching titled 'A mortar and a cannon,' part of 'Equipment needed for Fortification,' during the 17th century. The composition is dominated by a horizontal arrangement of artillery, meticulously detailed, and rendered in stark monochrome against a light background. This creates a visual field where the tools of war are presented with a clarity that evokes a sense of precision and order. The linear quality of the etching emphasizes the form and function of each piece of equipment. The lines do not just depict, they delineate a structure designed for a specific purpose. This relates to the broader intellectual context of the time where the rise of scientific rationalism influenced art. Notice how the cannons and mortar, with their geometric forms, disrupt traditional notions of pictorial space, prefiguring later modernist investigations into form and function. The work stands as a testament to the way art can challenge fixed meanings, prompting ongoing re-interpretation in relation to evolving cultural and philosophical discourses.