Battle of the Nudes
ANTONIO DEL POLLAIUOLO
ANTONIO DEL POLLAIUOLO, 1465–1475
Made in the 15th Century, this work has far more questions than answers. Ten nude men, with bodies contorted in various states and shapes, fight against an impossibly fantastical background. There are no context clues here, we do not know the era nor why they are battling, the location is vague and each man seems to be fighting a mirror image of himself. Yet this small print is among the most influential works of the Renaissance for its violent depiction of the male body. The work has often been interpreted as a master document of sorts, a guide for other artists of how to draw the body in motion. The two figures standing at the front are reflections of each other, one from the front and one from behind. In harmonious aggression, these figures became a blueprint for generations of artists.