Artwork
Conquest of a Town
Conquest of a Town is an ink drawing by Altichiero da Zevio. It dates from 1380 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Conquest of a Town is a pen and brown‑ink drawing with a brown wash on laid paper, mounted on a pale‑blue album sheet. Executed by the Italian painter Altichiero da Zevio around 1380, the work records a turbulent assault on an urban settlement, rendered in a rapid, sketch‑like manner that emphasizes movement over detail.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a chaotic siege: soldiers scale a ladder toward a tower capped by a rounded roof, while combatants clash near a tall column crowned with a flame. On a raised platform, robed observers watch the violence from a distance, creating a visual contrast between active combat and detached spectatorship that may allude to the role of clergy or officials during warfare.
Technique & Style
Altichiero employs simple, gestural lines and cross‑hatching to suggest depth and texture, while the brown wash unifies the scene with a muted tonal range. The quick execution and minimal detailing reflect a preparatory study rather than a finished narrative panel, highlighting the artist’s skill in conveying complex action with economical means.
History & Provenance
The drawing originates from the late fourteenth century, a period when Altichiero was active in Padua and Verona. It is mounted on its original pale‑blue album sheet, indicating it may have been part of a personal collection of sketches or a workshop reference book, though its subsequent ownership history remains undocumented.
Artist & collection
The Martyrdom of Saint Alexander of Bergamo
The Baptism of Christ; Pharoah Passing through the Red Sea; Joshua and Caleb
The Passion: Christ before Caiaphas
Six Conversing Men and Ten Battling Nudes
Three Scenes from the Passion of Christ (recto)
The Embarkation of Aeneas from the Ceraunian Headland![Allegory of the Life of a Scholar in a Rich Household [fol. 3 verso / 4 recto], by French 16th Century](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/french-16th-century--allegory-of-the-life-of-a-scholar-in-a-rich-household-fol-3--52df746155b443e5-w320.webp)
Allegory of the Life of a Scholar in a Rich Household [fol. 3 verso / 4 recto]
Untitled
Flagellation of Christ
Esther before Ahasuerus
Madonna and Child in Glory above Three Saints
Apocalypse of John, Leaf 10