Battle of the Naked Men
Antonio Pollaiuolo
1489-95
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
40.4 × 58.9 cm (15 15/16 × 23 1/4 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
27435
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
A group of men, arranged more or less symmetrically, engage in violent combat against a background of dense vegetation. While the reason for their fighting is unknown, this unusually large engraving was the most influential Italian print of the 15th century, engendering numerous copies and emulations. Antonio Pollaiuolo, a goldsmith and sculptor, probably executed it to advertise his skills in metalworking as well as his ability to convincingly depict the nude male body in motion, a central conc...