1592
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Six Cavalrymen in Combat is a 1592 ink by Antonio Tempesta, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows six men on horseback fighting in a chaotic scene. One horse is rearing up, its legs tangled with another horse’s legs. The men wear armor and helmets, and some hold spears or swords. The background is dark and stormy, with swirling lines that look like wind or smoke. The artist used sharp lines to show movement and tension. Notice how the horses’ muscles and the riders’ postures look almost three-dimensional, even though it’s just ink on paper. Next, check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this one create depth with ink.
Antonio Tempesta, also called il Tempestino (1555 – 5 August 1630), was an Italian painter and engraver, whose art acted as a point of connection between Baroque Rome and the culture of Antwerp.
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