Art, literature & historyPolish Horseman
c. 1651
- Dating
- Approximate date range
- Held at
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Medium
- Etching in black on ivory laid paper
- Dimensions
- Sheet: 19 × 19 cm (7 1/2 × 7 1/2 in.)
- Collection no.
- 1982.55
- Attribution
- By the artist
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
About this artwork
Polish Horseman — Stefano Della Bella. c. 1651.
Medium: Etching in black on ivory laid paper. Dimensions: Sheet: 19 × 19 cm (7 1/2 × 7 1/2 in.).
Collection record: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.
The Polish winged hussars were the most feared cavalry unit in mid-17th-century Europe. They charged directly at the opposing army in tight formation at full speed, splintering the enemy’s ranks. Constructed out of brightly colored ostrich, goose, or swan feathers and affixed via a wooden arch to the horseman’s back, the wings also created tremendous noise. The clatter and hiss of a legion of these riders thundering down frightened horse and foot soldier alike, and enemies of Poland sometimes surrendered on sight.
Description: © Art Institute of Chicago, original record, CC BY 4.0. HTML formatting removed; wording retained. Other artwork metadata: CC0.
Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.
Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.