Vechtpartij op brug in Venetië (midden deel spiegelbeeldig) 1660 - 1736

Domenico Rossetti rendered this print of a Venetian bridge brawl sometime in the late 17th or early 18th century. The composition is filled with bodies in violent turmoil, yet above this chaos, angels hold a banner, a symbol of Venice itself. This contrast echoes through art history. Consider the ancient Roman imagery of triumphant generals juxtaposed with scenes of defeated enemies. Here, the brawl is a raw display of human passion, not unlike the bacchanals of classical antiquity, where ecstasy and loss of control were common. The presence of the angels suggests an effort to reconcile this raw, visceral energy with the symbolic dignity of Venice. Such juxtapositions resonate deeply with us because they capture the eternal struggle between our rational selves and our primal instincts, a conflict forever etched in our collective memory.