A procession of horsemen and cannons in the middle ground walking to the left, a cannon and two men to left, from 'Peace and War' (Divers desseins tant pour la paix que pour la guerre) 1638 - 1643

Stefano della Bella created this print titled 'A procession of horsemen and cannons in the middle ground walking to the left, a cannon and two men to left, from 'Peace and War'' sometime in the mid-17th century. Della Bella lived during the Thirty Years' War, a period of immense political and religious conflict in Europe. Here, the landscape stretches out before us, occupied by the apparatus and movement of military life. It seems neutral until we understand that the soldiers traversing it represent a violent force. It's a reminder that war is not an abstract concept; it is carried out by individuals who are products of their time, place, and social circumstances. Consider the horses and dogs: integral parts of this war machine, they are voiceless, subjected to human will. The print invites us to think about the ethics of conflict, raising questions about who benefits, who suffers, and what gets left behind in its wake.