Veldheer schenkt verslagen krijgslieden genade
Medium
etching
Dimensions
210; 310
About this artwork
ets; proefdruk
Art Historical Context
Gerard de Lairesse *Veldheer schenktlagen krijgsliedenade* (Field Marshal Grants Mercy to Def Warriors), created in 1670, a dramatic moment of clemency amid battle. This etching, measuring 310mm by 210mm, exemplifies Dutch Golden Age's mastery of printmaking during a time of military strife in Europe, including tensions leading to the Franco-Dutch. Lairesse, a prominent artist influenced by French Classicism, often drew from historical and mythological themes, blending grandeur with emotional depth to elevate moral narratives like mercy in victory. As an etching—a technique where acid bites i...
About the Artist
Gerard de Lairesse · 1641–1711
Gerard de Lairesse (1641–1711) was a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age, renowned as both a painter and art theorist whose classical ideals bridged the dramatic realism of Rembrandt with the refined elegance of French academism. Born on September 11, 1641, in Liège, he was the second son of the painter Renier de Lairesse (1597–1667). De Lairesse received his initial training under his father b...