Scipio indtager Veii 1574

Tobias Stimmer created this woodcut, Scipio indtager Veii, sometime in the late 16th century. It depicts a scene of battle, likely referencing the Roman siege of Veii in ancient Italy. The print demonstrates the Northern Renaissance fascination with classical subjects, yet it does so through the visual language of its own time. Look at the clothing and weaponry of the soldiers. The city, too, feels more like a contemporary fortified town than anything truly Roman. Stimmer was Swiss, and this battle scene speaks to a period of religious conflict and the rise of military technology in that country. Prints like these played an important role in disseminating stories and shaping public opinion. While the scene is ostensibly historical, it is important to ask what contemporary concerns it might have been addressing. Research into the religious and political climate of 16th-century Switzerland, as well as the artist's biography, may reveal the print’s social function and historical context.