Allegory of Peace and War
Allegory of Peace and War c1776 by Italian Painter Pompeo Batoni (1708 – 1787); known for his portraiture, allegorical and mythological themed paintings.
Though peace and war are at odds; peace conquers war as it should and in this allegorical piece, we see that peace as won out.
Here peace is represented by an alluring attractive young woman that is partially cover in a white garment that hangs from her right shoulder and around her waist and thighs; with a gold colored garment on top of that.
War on the other hand is shown in full battle gear with a metal helmet that has a bronze dragon on the top and ram accents on the side; and which is complemented with large oval shield attached to his left arm that is partially wrapped around the young woman’s head and back.
He is also wearing a white short sleeve tunic undergarment over which he wears a leather body armor breast plate, along with a leather tunic from his waist to his thighs; and metal armor shoulder plates that are in two sections, and that have a brass emblem of a fanged lion on the top shoulder portions.
Wrapped around war is a large red garment and he is also carrying a steel sword with a brass handle in his right hand that peace is holding at bay as she presents him with an olive branch; while they look into each others eyes.
In the background we can see a large rock face on the left with some tree branches on it’s top and green plants growing from an out cropping of rocks just behind war; and more trees in the distance behind peace.
This is a remastered digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image that is available as a canvas print online.
