Death on the Battlefield, from 'The five deaths' (Les cinq Morts) 1645 - 1655

Stefano della Bella created 'Death on the Battlefield, from 'The five deaths'’ as an etching, a printmaking technique that utilizes acid to create an image on a metal plate. Born in Florence, Italy, in 1610, Della Bella witnessed firsthand the social and political upheavals of 17th-century Europe. 'Death on the Battlefield' is part of a series that encapsulates the all-encompassing nature of death, irrespective of social standing or circumstance. Here, Della Bella depicts Death as an active agent on the battlefield, a stark reminder of the ever-present threat that war poses to humanity. We see death riding a horse with plumes, and while it is a macabre subject, the image isn't gruesome. In fact, there is a fanciful and surreal quality, that seems to suggest that there is an alternative narrative to war. Della Bella seems to be inviting us to ponder the absurdity and, ultimately, the futility of war. The emotional impact is complex: it elicits fear, but there is an underlying sense of irony, a sardonic commentary on human folly.