A woman wearing a breastplate and helmet over a toga stands to our left on a platform, gesturing with one arm extended to a group of about a dozen soldiers gathered around her in this horizontal painting. The woman has pale white skin and most of the soldiers have ruddy complexions. The woman stands with her body facing us but she turns her head to our right, looking toward but not at the knot of soldiers clustered there. She leans on her right elbow, on our left, resting on the flat top of a broken column, and she holds a scepter in that hand. Her other arm is raised and her fingers are extended except for the index finger and thumb, which touch to make a circle. Her gold helmet is encrusted with gems and a white plume issues from the top. Her red and gold cloak is fastened around her neck and falls open to reveal her armor and sandal-clad feet. A shield rests on the platform near her feet, and other pieces of armor are scattered on the dirt ground near the platform. A young boy with chestnut-brown curls holds her cloak behind her and to our right. In the lower left corner of the painting, one soldier sits on the edge of the platform, and he twists and looks up at the woman. Several soldiers standing in a group to our right carry shields, banners, and halberds, which are tall, ax-like weapons. The men wear helmets and breastplates, and cloaks in canary yellow, crimson red, and ivory white. The man closest to us stands with his back to us, and he looks over his shoulder at the woman. An animal skin wraps around his shoulders and the head of the animal drapes over his head. More soldiers and tents in the middle distance are painted in almost monochromatic tones of peanut brown and taupe. The sky above is blue with a few white clouds, except for a band of soft yellow along the horizon.
Queen Zenobia Addressing Her Soldiers by Giovanni Battista Taipolo
A painting of courage and defiance
by Giovanni Battista Taipolo
1725-1730
Queen Zenobia Addressing Her Soldiers,
housed at the West Building,
main floor, Gallery 54 of the National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C.,
depicts a heroic scene of Queen Zenobia,
the ruler of Kalmyra,
a city in present-day Syria,
rallying her troops against the Roman Empire.
The painting, signed and dated by the artist,
is a remarkable example of his dynamic and expressive style
and his ability to portray the emotions
and interactions of the historical characters.
The painting shows Zenobia
wearing a breastplate and helmet over a toga,
standing on a platform,
gesturing with one arm extended
to a group of about a dozen soldiers gathered around her.
She has pale white skin
and most of the soldiers have ruddy complexions.
She stands with her body facing us
but she turns her head to our right,
looking toward but not at the knot of soldiers clustered there.
She leans on her right elbow,
on our left,
resting on the flat top of a broken column,
and she holds a scepter in that hand.
Her other arm is raised
and her fingers are extended
except for the index finger and thumb,
which touch to make a circle.
Her gold helmet is encrusted with gems
and a white plumer shoes from the top.
Her red and gold cloak is fastened around her neck
and falls open to reveal her armor
and sandy-clad feet.
A shield rests on the platform near her feet,
and other pieces of armor are scattered
on the dirt ground near the platform.
A young boy with chestnut brown curls
holds her cloak behind her and to our right.
In the lower left corner of the painting,
one soldier sits on the edge of the platform
and he twists and looks up at the woman.
Several soldiers standing in a group
to our right carry shields, banners,
and halberds, which are tall,
acts like weapons.
The men wear helmets and breastplates
and cloaks in canary yellow,
crimson red, and ivory white.
The man closest to us stands with his back to us
and he looks over his shoulder at the woman.
An animal skin wraps around his shoulders
and the head of the animal drapes over his head.
More soldiers and tents in the middle distance
are painted in almost monochromatic tones
of peanut brown and taupe.
The sky above is blue with a few white clouds,
except for a band of soft yellow
along the horizon.
The painting is a masterpiece of color harmony,
as Typolo concentrated the two major colors
in two distinct areas,
a warm red for Zenobia's cloak
and the soldiers' cloaks,
and a cool blue for the sky and the tents.
He then used the intensity of the white
and gold for Zenobia's helmet, armor,
and scepter to unify the whole.
The contrast between the warm and cool tones
creates a visual and psychological effect,
as the red cloak and the soldiers' cloaks
suggest the blood and passion of war,
while the blue sky and the tents
imply the calm and order of peace.
The painting is also a demonstration
of light and shadow,
as Typolo illuminates the subject
with a natural and radiant light
that highlights their features
and creates a soft, hazy look.
The light also reflects off the helmet,
the armor, the scepter, the shield,
and the eyes, adding sparkle
and liveliness to the composition.
The painting is seen as one of
Typolo's historical scenes,
a term that refers to paintings of stories
or events from ancient or modern history,
usually featuring kings, queens,
heroes, or generals.
Typolo studied with his father,
Giovanni Battista Typolo,
the most celebrated painter
in Venice in the 18th century.
He assisted his father
in numerous commissions for churches,
palaces, and public buildings
in Venice, Milan, Würzburg,
and Madrid.
He also developed his own style
and reputation, working independently
or in collaboration with his brother,
Lorenzo Typolo.
He was a prolific and versatile painter
who worked in various genres
and media.
The painting may also
have a symbolic meaning,
as the story of Queen Zenobia
is one of the most famous examples
of the theme of courage and defiance
in history. According to the legend,
Zenobia was the wife of Odionathus,
the king of Palmyra,
who ruled a large territory
in the east of the Roman Empire.
After his death, Zenobia became
the regent for her son, Babalathus,
and expanded her domain
by conquering Egypt and parts of Asia Minor.
She declared herself
the queen of Palmyra and challenged
the authority of the Roman emperor Aurelian.
Aurelian invaded
Palmyra and defeated Zenobia's army.
Zenobia was
captured and taken to Rome,
where she was paraded in chains.
However, she was later
pardoned and allowed to live in a villa near Rome.
The painting captures
the moment of Zenobia's speech
to her soldiers, where she inspires them
with her courage and defiance,
while Aurelian's army approaches.
