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Battle of the Amazons

Johann Wilhelm Baur

Basic information

ID: Г-IV-1018
Author: Johann Wilhelm Baur
Name: Battle of the Amazons
Date of creation: 1637
Country: Germany
Technique: etching
Material: paper
Dimensions: 10.7 x 14.2 cm (height x width)

Additionally

Type: graphic art
Genre: battle painting
Plot: Battle
Provenance: Lviv Historical Museum

Information about author

Author: Johann Wilhelm Baur
Author in the original: Jonann Wilhelm Baur
Artist's lifetime: 1607–1640
Country: Germany
Biography: Johann Wilhelm Baur was a leading German engraver and miniature painter of the first half of the 17th century. He began his studies in Strasbourg in the workshop of the German printmaker and draftsman Friedrich Brentel. However, his activities during this period remain little known. The artist gained fame after a trip to Italy, where he most likely arrived in 1626. It is assumed that Baur settled in Rome, where he worked for Paolo Giordano II Orsini. Nevertheless, his first dated work – "Landscape with Vesuvius" – was executed in 1631, during his stay in Naples between 1631 and 1633. He later returned to Rome and executed some of his most successful graphic series. The artist moved to Vienna in 1637. Although Baur also worked as a painter, he became known primarily as a graphic artist who specialised in architectural landscapes, genre street scenes and battle pieces. In his works, he skilfully combined the styles of the French printmaker Jacques Callot and the Florentine Stefano della Bella, with whom Baur was personally acquainted.

Object description

The work illustrates an imaginary battle scene between Amazons with enemy soldiers. In the foreground, an Amazon warrior is riding a horse with a war flag in her hands. A soldier dressed in stylised Roman armour is standing next to her. He is attempting to pull the woman from the saddle by grabbing her long hair. A horse and a killed Amazon in armour lie beside him. A fierce battle is taking place in the background, and all that can be seen are the general silhouettes of the figures. The hyperbolic representation of the quick movements of the figures of humans and horses adds vitality to the work's structure. The light, shade, and volume of the object are reproduced through irregularly applied strokes, which create the impression of dynamic movement. The engraving is part of "Battaglie di varie nazione" ("The Battles of Various Nations") series, which consisted of 13 sheets and was published in 1637.

Inscriptions

At the top centre, there is the inscription: "Bataglia de Lamazone". At the bottom right is the inscription "J.W. Baur Inv".

Legal regulation

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery