Drie soldaten c. 1656 - 1657

Editor: Here we have "Drie soldaten," or "Three Soldiers," an etching by Salvator Rosa, dating to around 1656-1657. There's something haunting in the way the artist uses line, almost scratchy, to create these figures against what looks like a desolate landscape. What do you see in this piece, especially considering Rosa's own life? Curator: The print really speaks to the turbulent times Rosa lived through. Considering his radical politics and documented association with the revolting Neapolitan "Compagnia della Morte", it is not a stretch to view these figures not just as generic soldiers but as a reflection of the artist's critique of power and conflict. Who exactly do you think the artist aimed to depict? Are they heroes? Editor: I don’t see any heroism. There’s a weariness, even a vulnerability to them. Is that typical of Baroque art to show its subjects as weary or worn out? Curator: It diverges somewhat, wouldn't you agree? The Baroque often idealizes, but Rosa presents a starker reality. It is as though these are the everyday casualties of war, stripped bare by political conflict. What would be the Baroque message and Rosa's divergent take? Editor: I suppose the Baroque celebrates power, and Rosa reveals its human cost, through class divisions, societal injustice, or in modern language, its lack of diversity and equity, all revealed through war. That's an interesting contradiction! Curator: Precisely! And his choice of etching, a more accessible medium than painting at the time, speaks volumes about who he wanted to reach with his message, no? Editor: Absolutely. He wasn't just making art for the elite; he was making a statement for the people. It has shifted my perspective. Thanks! Curator: And mine, remembering that even centuries later art is a powerful tool for speaking truth.