Art Institute of Chicago

Combats and Triumphs: Battle of the Naked Men

Etienne Delaune

Date

1550/1572

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Culture

France

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In this delicately rendered engraving by Etienne Delaune, violence is often undercut by humorous moments. In the Battle of the Naked Men , one of the combatants bites into the leg of his enemy as if it is a sandwich. Delaune distinguished between combatants in the Battle of the Naked Men by giving one side New World adornments, adding a touch of the exotic to an otherwise traditional scene. The fine lines of the engraving allowed the artist to create quite a bit of detail on a small scale; even the overturned wine jug is decorated.

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