Attributed to Joseph PARROCEL (Brignoles, 1646 – Paris, 1704)

This dynamic study, depicting a mounted horseman charging a turbaned adversary, likely relates to a Christian-Ottoman conflict—possibly the Battle of Vienna (1683). The spirited execution and subject matter suggest the hand of Joseph Parrocel, a prominent battle painter of the late 17th century and member of the Royal Academy.

Though drawings by Parrocel are often difficult to distinguish from those by his family or followers, this sheet shares notable similarities with a securely attributed painting sold in 2015 (Lyon, Beron Pérard, 6 June 2015, lot 21). The pose of the horseman and the treatment of movement reflect the artist’s mastery in capturing the tension and immediacy of cavalry combat, a skill honed under his mentor Jacques Courtois and likely informed by earlier models such as Antonio Tempesta.

A rare and compelling addition to the limited corpus of Parrocel’s battle studies.