Standing Soldier in Profile, Leaning on a Lance 1656 - 1658

Editor: This etching by Salvator Rosa, called "Standing Soldier in Profile, Leaning on a Lance," is striking! It's so stark, almost lonely. What's your read on this figure? Curator: He looks weighed down, doesn't he? The lance feels less like a weapon and more like a burden. Perhaps Rosa, with his famously rebellious spirit, is commenting on the futility of war, the silent suffering behind the heroic facade. Do you sense any of that in the landscape too? Editor: Absolutely. It's barren, like the ground has been salted. Thanks, that's given me a totally fresh perspective on Rosa! Curator: My pleasure! It's amazing what these old images can still teach us, isn't it?