Battle between Roman knights and barbarian warriors Northern artist active in Naples, mid 17th century oil on canvas 122 x 173 cm The work shows clear Jordanian influences, recognisable in the brightness of the whites, the looseness of the brushstrokes and the energy of the twists. However, the composition betrays a distinctly Nordic matrix, evident in the attention to equestrian details, the rendering of the landscape and the choral quality of the whole. There is also a closeness to Salvator Rosa's inventions, especially in the drama of the sky and the tragic emphasis of the combat.The canvas can be dated to the mid 17th century (ca. 1650-1670), a period in which the painting was painted in the mid-16th century. The canvas can be dated to the mid 17th century (ca. 1650-1670), a period in which the young Luca Giordano in Naples was tackling history and battle painting, while foreign artists active in Italy, such as Burgundian (Jacques Courtois), were introducing Nordic models into the southern figurative scene.The scene depicted is a heated battle between Roman knights and barbarian warriors, with rearing horses, heroic figures and a stormy sky amplifying the dramatic tension of the scene. The Roman leader, in golden armour and crowned, leads his army against half-naked enemies with Nordic features, identifiable as 'barbarians' in the classical sense. The diagonal layout and the tight rhythm of the figures accentuate the monumentality of the episode.Within a 20th century gilded wooden frame.