Battle
After
Reubens

48" x 72"
Oil
1997

Once I saw a drawing by Reubens, probably after Leonardo da Vinci, 3 horsemen in a battle clash with their lances, swords, knives and teeth; battle for their lives, or for something, I don't know what! I remember 2 horses were very much involved, their heads pushing nostrils to nostrils.

I put a few more pedestrian fighters into this composition so I could express more of that morbid feeling of senseless waste of energy and imagination in order to get upper hand that in their time and mind seemed to them to be very important matter and willing to give their lives for it. Now you see, a few years later, and it just makes one cry and laugh.