Jacques Courtois (1621-1676) - Battle Scene Between Christians And Turks

Jacques Courtois, or Giacomo Cortese, born February 12, 1621 in Saint-Hippolyte (county of Burgundy) and died November 14, 1676 in Rome, is a painter and engraver renowned for his battle scenes, which earned him the nickname "Burgundian of battles". In this work, Courtois captures with remarkable precision the chaos and ferocity of the battlefield between the Christians and the Turks. Through his attention to detail and his dynamic touch, rich in material, he intensely illustrates the shock of the riders, the musculature of the horses, as well as the agony of the wounded. Courtois' paintings today enrich prestigious museums such as the Louvre, the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace, the Prado or the Hermitage. Gian Lorenzo Bernini praised his genius by stating: "No one has equaled Courtois in the graphic expression of the horror of battle. » (Salvagnini, FA, I pittori borgognoni, Cortese, Rome, 1937, p. 185).