The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople

What you see

At the center, a group of crusaders on horseback, with armor, lances and banners, advances toward us; the leader wears a red cloak. At their feet, an old man raises his hand to them while holding a woman, and on either side people lie on the ground or plead. On the left rise the columns of a palace; behind, the city slopes down to the sea.

Banners and lances form vertical lines against a cloudy sky, while below, figures and horses crowd together on a diagonal. The reds, blues and golds of the fabrics dominate, with gray smoke over the city. Spot the open chest in the lower left corner and the view of the bay between the columns.