Lot no. 66
Antonio Calza (attributed to) - Armed clash with Christian banner oil on canvas 51 x 101 cm The composition depicts a violent armed clash set in an open, hilly landscape. In the foreground there is a tightly intertwined web of horsemen and foot soldiers, caught in dynamic and excited poses. A young man stands out among the figures, raising a banner adorned with crosses, an iconographic element that gives the scene a Christian connotation. Above, amidst moving, luminous clouds, appears an angelic figure who seems to oversee the clash, accentuating the providential interpretation of the event. The rendering of the rearing horses, the diagonal arrangement of the bodies and the use of a warm, atmospheric light contribute to a typically baroque theatrical effect.The absence of identifying topographical elements and specific details allows for a generic reading as an allegory of Christian victory or an episode of battle "under the sign of the Cross". The presence of the crusader standard refers to the figurative tradition of Christian victories, sometimes referred to the late antique age or reinterpreted in a celebratory key.The work, in terms of style, is attributed to Antonio Calza, a Veronese painter active between the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, known mainly for battle scenes.Trained in the Veneto area and influenced by models such as Jacques Courtois (known as Borgognone), he developed a style characterised by strong movement, contrasting luministic effects and dramatic narrative taste, elements that are reflected in the work under examination.Where four cleaning essays have been carried out, one can appreciate the brightness and freshness of the original colouring.
See original version (Italian)
Pictures credits: Contact organization
Old paintings
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Live
06/12/2026
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