Battlefield

Karel Dujardin

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a horseman surveying the aftermath of a battle scene. In the foreground, a rider on horseback appears engaged in looking over the fallen figures below, while the bodies of two figures lie lifeless on the ground. Another horse is standing or lying down near them. In the background, a skirmish seems to be taking place on a ridge, where several figures on horseback are depicted with raised flags. The drawing employs fine linework and shading to convey a sense of motion and a somber atmosphere in a historical or mythological context.