Pair of battle scenes depicting imperial knights and Turks

Oil on canvas

51 x 71 cm.

Antique frame (minor losses and imperfections) 61 x 80 cm.

Reference bibliography:

G. Sestieri, Battle Painters: Italian and Foreign Masters of the 17th and 18th Centuries, Rome 1999, pp. 154–205.

This splendid pair of battle scenes between Imperial and Turkish cavalry displays the compositional and stylistic characteristics typical of the work of Jacques Courtois, known as “the Burgundian” (Saint Hippolyte 1621 – Rome 1676), a prominent battle painter active in the mid-17th century who, thanks to his Baroque style characterized by striking realism and a dramatic rendering of conflict, became a leading figure in this genre.

The works display fine craftsmanship with a refined painterly touch, featuring the dramatic effect of columns of smoke in the sky and the frenzied movement of the horsemen, which, in our opinion, confirms their authorship by the painter himself.

A distinctive feature of his scenes is the depiction of the battle in the foreground, rendered with careful composition, which highlights the vortex of violence that reaches its climax at the center of the canvas, with the horseman striking blows with his sword in a strikingly realistic manner.

Borgonone’s passion for battle scenes developed following his military experience in 1636, when he enlisted in the Spanish troops stationed in Milan, where he remained until 1639, before devoting himself entirely to his career as a painter.

Battle paintings were particularly popular during the Baroque era, often inspired by military news and thus by events of the day: the dramatic wartime events that marked the 17th century—from the bloody “Thirty Years’ War” to the strenuous defense of Vienna and the West against the Turks—served as a rich source of inspiration for the emergence and extraordinary proliferation of the “battle” genre in the 17th century.

Among all the masters of the genre, the Burgundian—born in Burgundy and having moved to Italy while still young, where he relocated several times before settling permanently in Rome—was perhaps the best known and most celebrated, receiving commissions from some of the leading Roman and Italian families, especially within the aristocracy and among rulers, including the Medici family.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The artwork is sold with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

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