Italian school; first half of the 18th century.

Italian school; first half of the 18th century.
"Battle".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has a frame of c. 1840 with faults.
Measurements: 38 x 49 cm; 49 x 62 cm (frame).
This painting of the Italian school of the first half of the XVIII century represents a battle scene, a genre that reached notable development in the Baroque and later context, as much by its dramatic load as by its political and commemorative function. The work, executed in oil on canvas, displays a dynamic and chaotic composition, dominated by a violent equestrian confrontation. In the center of the scene, a horseman on his back, possibly a commander, rides towards the heart of the battle, surrounded by fallen soldiers and the bodies of slain horses, elements that underline the drama of the moment depicted.
The atmosphere is dense, saturated with smoke and with lighting that alternates shadowy areas with flashes of warm light, contributing to a sense of immediacy and tension. The sky, churned by dark clouds and masses of smoke, amplifies the sense of chaos and the violence of the conflict, while the waving flags and raised spears reinforce the heroic and tragic tone of the scene.