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Étienne Delaune

Combats and Triumphs: Battle of the Naked Men

1550/1572
Engraving on ivory laid paper
6.5 × 22 cm (2.6 × 8.7 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

In this delicately rendered engraving by Etienne Delaune, violence is often undercut by humorous moments. In the Battle of the Naked Men , one of the combatants bites into the leg of his enemy as if it is a sandwich. Delaune distinguished between combatants in the Battle of the Naked Men by giving one side New World adornments, adding a touch of the exotic to an otherwise traditional scene. The fine lines of the engraving allowed the artist to create quite a bit of detail on a small scale; even the overturned wine jug is decorated.

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