The Battle of San Romano” by Paolo Uccello, he devoted his life and paintings to to the study of linear perspective. This piece is beautiful in it’s own way, the energy, the color, the scenery, all of this makes me feel as if the painting was alive. The composition is very interesting because I feel as if one side of the painting represents “good” and they other side represents “evil”. One half of the painting is lighter; their weapons are white and vigorous. On the other side, it is much darker and their weapons are much smaller, and the soldiers are not as noticeable as the soldiers on the left.

What is most attracting to my eye is that all the horses and soldiers are painted with dark, gloomy colors, which I’m assuming because it’s a battle, except for the white horse in the very middle. I want to know why this horse was painted white of all horses. Because of the way the white horse is placed in the painting and the size compared to the other figures, I feel like this horse is significant. I noticed the background is almost a fixed vanishing point. It looks like a long row of soldiers and then your eyes are centered on mainly the white horse. I feel as if this white horse is sentimental in this battle, I think it’s because the white horse has more placement in the painting rather then the enemy, as well as more contrast with the other things in the painting. The other horse in the picture that seems grey, I depict it as being the evil side in which the white horse represents the good side. I am assuming this mostly because of color and the soldiers on the left side of the painting seems stronger and with more detail then the ones on the right. Their weapons are bigger and they are more noticeable in the painting than the other side. They have more detail and more contrasting colors.

Another thing I have noticed is the floor of this painting. There are many weapons and strange lines that lead your eye to certain things in the painting. Between the white horse and the black horse on the left, between the two white weapons there is a soldier that has no armor on and it looks as if he had just taken off his hat.  This is interesting to me because I don’t think I would have recognized it if it had not been more the obvious linear lines. Also, the background of this picture seems very particular with its lines as well. The pathway in the back also draws your eye to this solider on the white horse. The pathway on the left of it also draws your eye to the soldier with no armor on. This is important I feel like because I think Uccello wanted the viewer to look at these soldiers more then the others. This soldier and the main soldier’s faces seem as if they weren’t even fighting. Their faces are detailed with beauty instead of treachery and war-like. I don’t know why, but they certainly stand out more than the others. The hat placed on the white horse soldier is too very extraordinary. The detail in his hat makes me feel as if he is wealthy and very powerful, not like the other solders.  Even the wraps around all of the horses seem peculiar.

Overall, I believe this painting has a great composition. One side is more noticeable than the other, making me believe that I want to pay more attention to the side with more color and detail rather than the dark heavy side with not much to look at at all. The way the white horse takes over the picture really makes all the difference.  The scale of the characters and weapons are much bigger than the other side as well. The style of this painting is very unique and entertaining. Although there are some unknown answers about certain details in this painting I wish I knew, but generally this painting is beautiful. The color stands out and makes me feel the energy of this scene, possibly between good and evil.