Cavalcade c. 1640

Antonio Tempesta's "Cavalcade", an undated drawing, captures figures on horseback with striking energy. Tempesta lived in a time marked by dramatic shifts in power and religious conflict. His work often mirrored the dynamic, and at times violent, nature of his world. This piece seems to embody those tensions. The riders, though sketched with a light touch, exude a sense of urgency. Their movements suggest a deeper narrative. What's particularly compelling is how Tempesta uses the figures of both man and horse to convey a sense of restless power. Are they soldiers, merchants, or perhaps refugees? The lack of detail invites us to project our own understanding of history onto the image. It asks us to consider who is granted the privilege of mobility and who is forced into displacement. How does it feel to be in motion, to be carried by forces bigger than oneself? The drawing encapsulates the human experience, caught between freedom and necessity.