Cavalry Battle

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Cavalry Battle
mid-17th c.
Giacomo Cortese, known as il Borgognone

The dark swirl of the cavalry battle in the foreground is being fought in clouds of smoke, and against a bright background of landscape and sky. Judging by their turbans we can suppose one army to be Turkish. In the middle of the painting a turbaned soldier is falling from his horse under the attack of a soldier in a red jacket and a brown, wide-brimmed hat. In the dark brown tones of the earth we can make out the bodies of soldiers and parts of their battle equipment. In the middle ground, just off centre, rises a fortress in flames. In the distance the outlines of some eastern town can be seen with minarets, and behind it pointed mountains.