Triumphal Chariot. Bellum (War) 1563

This drawing, *Triumphal Chariot. Bellum (War)*, was created by Maarten van Heemskerck. The sepia ink creates a scene of classical pageantry with an unsettling mood. At first glance, the eye is drawn to the chariot and its stern warrior, however, the artist's treatment of space and figures prompts deeper questions. Heemskerck has constructed a complex interplay of depth and perspective. The procession unfolds not in a linear fashion but in a series of overlapping planes, which destabilizes traditional Renaissance perspective. Furthermore, the figures appear caught between admiration and despair, their gestures ambiguous. The chariot, usually a symbol of triumph, here seems to carry not celebration, but a burden. Ultimately, the artwork prompts us to reconsider conventional associations of victory and war. Heemskerck's drawing underscores the intrinsic ambiguity of such concepts.