Renaissance
The Renaissance period, from the 14th to 17th century, “saw a great revival of interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome.” And because the strict religious-based rules concering icons lessened in control during the period, horse art grew in popularity throughout the Renaissance.
Paolo Uccello's "Battle of San Romano" painting, thought to be created around 1435 to 1460, is an early example of warfare as the subject of Renaissance art. The foreground of the battle scene depicts a few fully armored riders crossing blades. Front and center the victorious leader of the Florentines, Niccolò da Mauruzi da Tolentino, stands out of the crowd mounted on his white charger and brandishing a weapon.
The currently lost "Battle of Anghiari" painted in 1505 by Leonardo da Vinci also depicts a battle scene. Through the whipping manes, rippling muscles, and expressive movements of the war horses illustrated, Leonardo emphasizes a theme of the chaos of the battlefield. This is a copy of the painting by Peter Paul Rubens, done in 1603, which resides in the Louvre, Paris, France. |