Soldaten in de aanval

About this artwork

height 106 mm x width 356 mm

Art Historical Context

Pietro Sante Bart’s *Soldaten in aanval* captures energy of a military charge a compact yet panoramic. Created between 164 and 1700 the etching presents a horizontal of soldiers advancing with weapons raised, their poses suggesting both discipline and. Bartoli, Italian printmaker active during the Baroque, specialized in reproducing scenes from classical antiquity and contemporary military subjects, making this work a vivid example of how 17th-century artists translated the drama of battle into accessible printed images. Etching allowed Bartoli to achieve fine lines and tonal contrasts that convey the glint of armor and the thrust of spears with remarkable clarity. Measuring just 106 mm high but 356 mm wide, the narrow frieze-like composition invites the viewer to scan the scene from left to right, mimicking the forward motion of the troops. Such elongated formats were often used for narrative sequences or decorative borders in books and albums. As a reproductive etcher, Bartoli helped disseminate images of Roman history and military valor across Europe, contributing to the era’s fascination with heroic narratives. This small but lively print exemplifies how printmaking democratized art, allowing collectors and scholars to study dynamic battle compositions that might otherwise have remained on palace walls.

About the Artist

Pietro Sante Bartoli · 1615–1700

Pietro Santi Bartoli, born in Perugia in 1635, emerged as a pivotal figure in the Roman antiquarian revival of the late seventeenth century. Relocating to Rome as a youth, he initially pursued painting, studying under the French artist Jean Lemaire—known as "Le Petit Lemaire"—and later under the esteemed Nicolas Poussin, whose classical rigor profoundly shaped his early approach. Though traces of ...