Art Institute of Chicago

Battle of the Naked Men

Domenico Campagnola

Date

1517

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Culture

Italy

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In this battle scene, the landscape is just as important as the context. Deep shading created by the harsh, crosshatched lines reiterates the tumult of the battle. The sketchy engraving style of Domenico Campagnola underlines the vigorous and impulsive nature of his figures. Body proportions are distorted in order to connote pain. Even the barking dog at the lower left has an inaccurately elongated torso, a statement about the distress nature experiences during human conflict. This engraving is one of the artist’s largest.

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