The Battle
c. 1528-1563
Medium
Etching on paper
Dimensions
24.4 × 22.1 cm (9 5/8 × 8 3/4 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
109021
Art Historical Context
**The Battle** by Hieronymus Hop, created around 1528–1563, the tumult of warfare in a dynamic etching on paper, measuring 24.4 × 22.1 cm. As a master of the Hopfer family—pioneers of etching in16th-century Germany—Hopfer brought unprecedented fluidity to printmaking. Unlike the rigid lines of engraving, etching allowed him to etch designs into a metal plate with acid, producing expressive, compositions ideal for chaotic battle scenes. This technique, which the Hopfers helped popularize in Northern Europe during the Renaissance, made intricate prints more accessible and affordable for collecto...