Two warriors, one seated asleep on a foreground rock, from Figurine series n.d.

Salvator Rosa etched this image of two warriors, one seated asleep on a rock, sometime in the mid-17th century. Rosa was an Italian Baroque painter, printmaker, and poet, who was known for his unconventional and rebellious nature. This etching presents us with an intriguing social commentary. On one level, Rosa is drawing from the visual vocabulary of the military, contrasting a lively, standing figure with another who is slouched down in slumber. But look closer. Isn’t there something a bit too casual, and overly stylized about these figures? Might Rosa be presenting us with a critique of militarism itself? To understand Rosa's art fully, we must explore the social and intellectual currents of his time, including the rise of academies and the changing role of the artist in society. These are the kinds of questions that art historians consider.