The Troops on the March

About this work

This engraving shows a busy scene of soldiers marching in formation. A leader on horseback points ahead, while foot soldiers carry flags, muskets, and shields. In the background, more troops march toward a distant battle, with smoke or dust swirling around them. Notice how the artist uses fine, crisscrossed lines to build up shadows and textures—this is called cross-hatching. It gives the scene depth and makes the figures look solid, even though it’s just ink on paper. Try looking up engraving to see how artists create detailed prints like this one.