Combats and Triumphs: Battle of the Naked Men

Description

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.

Combats and Triumphs: Battle of the Naked Men

Étienne Delaune

1550/1572

Accession Number

43595

Medium

Engraving on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

6.5 × 22 cm (2 9/16 × 8 11/16 in.)

Classification

engraving

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

The Charles Deering Collection