A halberdier resting his left hand and knee on a rock, with a tree in the backgroud

Rosa employs fine line work and cross‑hatching to model the figure and the surrounding rock, creating a sense of volume and texture. The careful modulation of light and shadow through dense hatching gives depth to the foliage and stone, while the overall composition balances detailed rendering with a spontaneous, sketch‑like quality.

The drawing entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings in the early 20th century, having passed through several private collections before its acquisition. Its attribution to Rosa is supported by stylistic parallels with his known drawings and by documentation linking the piece to his output in the mid‑17th century.

During the mid‑1600s Rosa worked in Naples, Rome and Florence, gaining reputation not only as a painter but also as a poet and printmaker. His landscapes often featured dramatic, rugged scenery that served as a backdrop for solitary figures, reflecting contemporary Baroque interests in the sublime and the emotional potential of nature.