Artwork
Batalla de San Quintín
Batalla de San Quintín is an oil painting. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Batalla de San Quintín depicts the Battle of Saint-Quentin, a historical military engagement rendered as a battle painting in oil on canvas.
Batalla de San Quintín depicts the Battle of Saint-Quentin, a historical military engagement rendered as a battle painting in oil on canvas. The composition focuses on the iconography of armed combat, with the figures shown wearing body armor and combat helmets, visual markers that situate the scene within the martial conventions of history painting.
The work is identified as a copy after a painting by Luca Giordano, indicating that its meaning operates on two levels: as a representation of the historical Spanish victory at Saint-Quentin, and as a later reproduction that preserves and circulates Giordano's original interpretation of that event. Held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, the painting continues to function as a record of both the battle itself and the Baroque tradition of commemorating it through large-scale history painting.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on canvas, adhering to the conventions of history and battle painting. Measuring 53 cm in height and 168 cm in width, the piece functions as a copy of an original composition by Luca Giordano. The formal content focuses on scenes of combat, specifically depicting figures equipped with body armor and combat helmets.
Created in 1700, the painting maintains the stylistic attributes associated with its genre while serving as a reproduction of the earlier masterwork.
History & Provenance
The painting known as Batalla de San Quintín was created in 1700 as an oil-on-canvas work. It serves as a copy of an original composition by the artist Luca Giordano. The work is currently held within the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The piece measures 53 cm in height and 168 cm in width.
The work is held at the Museo del Prado, Madrid, with an inventory number of P-1074.
It was first recorded in the museum’s holdings in 1700. The painting is a later copy of Luca Giordano’s original composition, which it reproduces in oil on canvas with dimensions of 53 × 168 cm.
Context
The painting Batalla de San Quintín, executed in 1700 in oil on canvas, is identified as a copy of an original work by Luca Giordano. As a history painting classified within the battle genre, the work depicts scenes of combat featuring body armor and combat helmets. Its dimensions measure 53 cm in height and 168 cm in width.
The piece is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, situating it within the institution's holdings of Spanish and European art from the early eighteenth century.
Overview
Batalla de San Quintín is an oil painting depicting a tumultuous battle scene, characterized by a dark, stormy sky and a muddy, war-torn ground littered with fallen soldiers and horses.
Legacy
No direct information is given regarding the painting's impact or legacy, though its use of chiaroscuro and dynamic depiction of battle suggests it may contribute to the broader tradition of war art and the development of expressive techniques in painting.
Artist & collection
