Naval battle, a rowboat filled with people fighting with muskets to left, people drowning in the sea in the center and right foreground, a ship on its side and burning in the background, from 'Peace and War' (Divers desseins tant pour la paix que pour la guerre) 1638 - 1643

Stefano della Bella etched this naval battle scene as part of his 'Peace and War' series. The image surges with chaotic energy; men struggle amidst the wreckage of a ship, a small boat teems with combatants, and the sea becomes a stage for survival. Note the recurring motif of drowning figures, their faces contorted in the throes of death. This symbol has roots stretching back to ancient depictions of shipwrecks, yet resurfaces in Théodore Géricault's 'The Raft of the Medusa,' capturing the same raw human terror. The motif of drowning transcends mere representation; it speaks to primal fears of helplessness and oblivion. This is the psychological weight of images—how they tap into our collective memories and subconscious anxieties. Della Bella masterfully evokes this emotional intensity, reminding us that the specter of war leaves no one untouched. The image is a dance of death, endlessly replayed across the stage of history.