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A Battle on a Bridge

Giovanni Balducci

1600

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque History Painting

Dominant colour

A Battle on a Bridge is a 1600 chalk by Giovanni Balducci, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Giovanni Balducci
When & what style?: 1600 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a chaotic battle on a narrow bridge. Soldiers in loose armor clash with swords and spears, their horses rearing and tangled in the fight. The scene is packed with movement—some men fall, others lunge forward, and the horses kick wildly. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show the urgency, with blue wash adding shadows and depth. Notice how the figures overlap and crowd the space, making it feel cramped and intense. The artist even added faint grid lines in the corners, likely to help transfer the drawing to a larger surface. If you like this style, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build detail with layers of lines.