Renaissance Soldiers Woodcut with Hannibal and Fabius Maximus Text

Description

Renaissance soldiers woodcut depicting three figures before a fortified town. This antique German print has historical text concerning Fabius Maximus and Hannibal on the reverse.

An antique German woodcut depicting three Renaissance soldiers before a fortified town, with historical text concerning Fabius Maximus and Hannibal on the reverse.

The three figures wear elaborate slashed clothing, feathered headwear and pieces of armour. Their polearms and swords emphasise the military subject, while the raised hand of the soldier on the right suggests a conversation between the men.

To the left, an open gateway leads into a fortified town with towers and clustered buildings. Trees, low vegetation and finely hatched ground complete the setting. A bold black border frames the composition, contrasting with the lighter areas of the paper.

The reverse carries early German text printed in Gothic type. The passage corresponds to part of Plutarch’s Life of Fabius Maximus and mentions Hannibal’s arrival in Italy and the Battle of the Trebia, placing the text within the historical context of the Punic Wars.

This connection relates to the printed text on the reverse. The three figures on the front have not been identified as Hannibal, Fabius Maximus or any other specific historical individuals.

Offered as a work of the German school, provisionally dated to the 16th century. The artist, source publication and edition remain unidentified, and the precise date of this impression is unconfirmed. The sheet appears to have been trimmed from an illustrated volume.

DETAILS

Technique: woodcut printed in black ink on paper.
Subject: three soldiers before a fortified town.
Reverse: German Gothic text concerning Fabius Maximus and Hannibal.
Proposed period: 16th century, subject to confirmation.
Sheet dimensions: 15.5 × 12.5 cm.
Image dimensions: 14.3 × 12.2 cm.

CONDITION

Cream-toned paper with age-related marks, narrow margins and minor irregularities along the edges. A very small, discreet wormhole is present near the knee of the soldier on the right. The impression retains strong contrast and clearly readable details. The text on the reverse is cropped at the sheet edges.

Please examine the photographs of both sides and the detail images, which form part of the description.

An appealing print for collectors of Renaissance military imagery, antique book illustrations and material relating to Hannibal and the Punic Wars.