The Two Caudillos
Artist: José Casado del Alisal (Spanish, 1832-1886)
Date: 1866
Medium; Oil on canvas
Collection: Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain
Description
This painting depicts the Great Captain´s encounter with the body of his adversary after the famous battle for the control of the Kingdom of Naples, which was fought during the reign of the Catholic Kings. The page, who still holds the body of his dead lord, directs an imploring gaze at the Spanish hero.
The Battle of Cerignola (April 28, 1503) is one of the most famous conflicts for control of the Kingdom of Naples. Fought between the Spanish and the French during the Italian Wars, it is historically celebrated as the first major European battle decided primarily by the use of gunpowder and small arms.
