Figure on horseback holding a sword and riding over a figure lying on the ground, set within an elaborate frame

Art Historical Context

This striking etching, titled *Figure on Horseback Holding a Sword and Riding a Figure Lying on the Ground, Set within an Elaborate Frame dates to around 1540–80 and showcases the collaborative talents of Venetian Mannerists Andrea Schiavone ( Meldola) and Battistaolo del Moro, alongside French engraver Jacques Androuet Cerceau. Created during the Renaissance heyday of printmaking, measures a compact 5 1/8 × 7 1/8 inches and belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1926. The composition bursts with dramatic energy: a mounted warrior brandishes a sword while trampling a fallen figure, all encased in an ornate architectural frame. This fusion of dynamic action and decorative surround reflects the era's fascination with *ornamento*—elaborate motifs blending human drama with architectural fantasy. Etching, a revolutionary technique using acid to bite intricate lines into metal plates, allowed these artists to achieve fluid, expressive details far beyond woodcuts, making such prints ideal for dissemination across Europe. As part of the "Ornament & Architecture" classification, this work highlights 16th-century print culture's role in inspiring designers, architects, and collectors. Its vivid depiction of men, horses, and intense faces captures Mannerist flair—elongated forms and theatrical poses—evoking themes of conquest and heroism that resonated in courts and workshops alike. A true gem for admirers of Renaissance ingenuity!

About the Artist

Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)|Battista Angolo del Moro|Jacques Androuet Du Cerceau · 1510–1563

Andrea Schiavone, born Andrea Meldolla around 1510 or 1515 in Zara (modern Zadar, Croatia), in Venetian-ruled Dalmatia, hailed from a family rooted in Meldola near Forlì in Romagna, Emilia-Romagna. His father, Simon Meldolla, served as a garrison commander there, and both parents originated from Meldola, where the family held property into the early 16th century. Nicknamed "Schiavone"—"the Slav"—a...