Illustratie voor 'Den Arbeid van Mars' van Allain Manesson Mallet 1672

This etching by Romeyn de Hooghe is a detailed illustration for the book "Den Arbeid van Mars" by Allain Manesson Mallet, published in 1672. The artwork combines a geometric diagram with a scene of mounted knights in battle. The diagram at the top likely illustrates a theory of military strategy or tactics, while the bottom shows the chaotic reality of warfare, capturing the energy and danger of the battlefield with its depiction of charging horsemen and fleeing soldiers. This unique combination of abstract and realistic elements, characteristic of Dutch Golden Age art, makes this etching a fascinating glimpse into 17th-century military thinking.