Art & War in the Renaissance: The Battle of Pavia Tapestries

“This fabulous book loaded with lavish photographs of the tapestries and arms and armor . . .  introduces the reader to the art of the Renaissance, the art of weaving, the genius of Bernard van Orley, armories, and the art of war.”

In the 16th century Italy was a battleground between the French and the Spanish. In one of the most consequential battles in European history the armies of King Francis I of France and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and king of Spain, clashed at Pavia in Italy. The Battle of Pavia turned into a huge defeat for the French. Most French casualties came from Spanish arquebusiers. The French, who had very few arquebusiers and crossbowmen were unable to adequately return the imperial small arms fire.

As French historian Fernand Braudel said “the victory of the Battle of Pavia on February 24, 1525, was the triumph of the arquebusiers and even more, empty stomachs. Francis I's army was too well fed.” The French learned their lesson after their defeat, due in part to the increased logistics problems posed by ammunition supply. The effectiveness of small arms fire, combined with the vulnerability of arquebusiers and musketeers when reloading their clumsy weapons, kept coordination of combined arms an ever-present challenge to 16th century generals.

Francis fought hopelessly but gallantly, leading his dwindling heavy cavalry detachment in charge after charge until his horse was killed under him and he was badly wounded and captured. The disastrous French loss saw about 8,000 men killed or wounded. Charles V probably lost no more than 1,000. On January 14, 1526, to obtain his freedom Francis, held prisoner in Madrid, signed a treaty giving up all of his claims in Italy, and surrendering Burgundy, Artois, and Flanders to Charles V. For the first time, the use of firearms had been decisive in a military clash, introducing new strategies and economics of warfare with reverberations ever since.

Shortly after the battle seven huge tapestries were made in Flanders depicting the Battle of Pavia. Woven in Brussels from the design of then famous Flemish artist Bernard van Orley, the tapestries were donated to Charles V.  By the 19th century, the tapestries had made their way to the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples where they now can be admired in an exceptional, newly reenvisioned installation.

Art & War in the Renaissance is a gorgeous book that not only reproduces in full color the tapestries but also has a captivating selection of the Farnese arms and armor collection. The seven large-scale tapestries narrate the famous battle. In the words of the Director Emeritus of the museum Sylvain Bellenger “this monumental, richly detailed cycle of tapestries presents the transformative battle of Pavia using life-size human figures in an unprecedented narrative format.”

This fabulous book loaded with lavish photographs of the tapestries and arms and armor but also, through its numerous contributors, introduces the reader to the art of the Renaissance, the art of weaving, the genius of Bernard van Orley, armories, and the art of war. This rich collection of 500-year-old monumental masterpieces allows the reader to immerse themselves both literally and figuratively in the heart of a battle and the imagery of an epoch, the Renaissance. Each of the reproductions of the seven tapestries, which can be seen and “read” in order, are accompanied by a detailed description explaining what each one represents.

The second part of the book contains color illustrations of the arms and armor from the Farnese Armory. Renaissance arms and armor are not merely military in nature as each one is an exquisite work of art in themselves. Most of the photographs are startling in clarity and close-up so one can see the intricacies incorporated into their design by armorers, such as the wheel-lock gun details or the agate dagger made of Sardonyx agate, shagreen, and steel.

Essays by leading scholars delve into the Neapolitan d’Avalos family archive, the conservation efforts to restore the works, as well as their preparatory drawings, now housed at the Louvre. This book deserves a prominent place on the coffee tables of anyone interested in Renaissance art, tapestries, arms and armor, and Renaissance military history.