Battle of the Milvian Bridge (fragment) (verso)

1504

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance Renaissance History Painting Battle

Dominant colour

Battle of the Milvian Bridge (fragment) (verso) is a 1504 by Unknown, a Renaissance work, depicting Battle, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1504 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a crowded battle scene on a small wooden panel: soldiers in armor, horses rearing, and a bridge collapsing under their weight. This fragment was once part of a larger painting, probably made to decorate a palace or church. The artist used thin, quick brushstrokes to show movement—almost like a sketch. No one knows who painted it, but the style fits the 1500s in Italy. To see more art from this time, look up Italy, 16th century.