Battle Scene with Soldiers Mounted on an Elephant. 1550 - 1650

Giulio Romano made this drawing of a battle scene with soldiers mounted on an elephant sometime around 1530, using pen and brown ink with gray wash and white heightening. This piece gives us a glimpse into the visual culture surrounding warfare in Renaissance Italy. Elephants in battle were exotic, a throwback to classical antiquity, signalling power and conquest. Romano worked in the circle of Raphael and was deeply influenced by classical art and architecture; this piece reflects the fascination with antiquity that characterized the Renaissance. The drawing may have been a design for a larger work, perhaps a fresco or a tapestry. Romano also designed sets and decorations for theatrical productions, and this image has a theatrical quality, as if staged for an audience. By studying Romano’s drawing in relation to the art, literature, and theater of his time, we can better understand the cultural values and beliefs that shaped its creation.