Battle of the Nudes

About this work

This image shows a chaotic scene of naked men fighting. Some are standing, others are on the ground, tangled in swords and spears. The lines are sharp and dark, making the figures look twisted and muscular. One man in the center holds a spear while another nearby falls backward, arms spread. The artist packed a lot of action into a small space, using lots of overlapping bodies. The tiny text at the top reads *"Opus Antonii Pollaiuoli Florentini"*—that’s the artist’s name and city. Next, look up engraving to see how this technique works.