Markus Prachensky “La Battaglia di San Romano – London Red” 2010

The title “La Battaglia di San Romano” refers to a three-panel painting by the Florentine Renaissance painter Paolo Uccello. The work depicts the historical battle of 1432, in which the city-states of Florence and Siena fought for supremacy. The individual panels of the triptych are nowadays shown in three different European museums.
Fascinated by the sophisticated composition of the triptych’s images and the contrast between movement and stillness, between lingering and rapid advancement in the battle scenes, Prachensky uses the historical painting as a source of inspiration to consistently portray his own impressions in his visual language. He translates the chaos of the battle into powerful, vibrant brushstrokes, referring most likely to the lances used by the warriors. The red color bars likely symbolize the slaughter on the battlefield, and even the red paint splatters, a result of his dynamic painting style, function as a deliberate stylistic device to express the martial bloodshed. “London Red” specifically refers to the panel currently housed in the National Gallery in London.
This work from Prachensky’s late period impressively demonstrates his mastery of painting and composition. Despite the gestural dynamism, the image appears well-balanced. Vertical, diagonal, and horizontal elements are in equilibrium, and the painted and unpainted areas are finely aligned.