Salvator Rosa

A Cavalry Battle

A Cavalry Battle by Salvator Rosa

Artwork Detail

The swirling chaos and absence of particular heroes suggests that Rosa intended to represent an allegory on the destructive nature of war, with men attacking each other with the ferocity of wild beasts. A precedent for cavalry battles such as these can be found in Leonardo da Vinci's Battle of Anghiari, both in the tangle of horses and soldiers and in the facial expressions contorted by conflict. One of Rosa's most famous battle scenes, acquired by Louis XIV, can be seen in the Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Title
A Cavalry Battle
Artist/creator
Salvator Rosa
Production date
1645-1652
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
1486 x 2184 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/30
Copyright
No known copyright restrictions
Department
International Art
Display status
Not on display

To find out which artworks are available for print requests and reproduction please enquire here. This service only applies to select artworks in the Gallery's collection.