Friday 8 May 2020

Battle Scene from the Seven Years' war

 Second Half of the 18th cen.. Creator: Anonymous
Bit of an enigma this. Any theories as to what it depicts?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You'll find a higher resolution of this painting here:

https://www.dorotheum.com/fileadmin/lot-images/39A171030/hires/schlachtenszene-aus-dem-siebenjaehrigen-krieg-439834.jpg

Apparently, it was one of a pair auctioned in 2017. The other one was this:

https://www.dorotheum.com/fileadmin/lot-images/39A171030/hires/schlachtenszene-aus-dem-siebenjaehrigen-krieg-439837.jpg

I'm not an expert on SYW uniforms but the one unit I was able to identify almost instantly in both paintings were the Luckner Husaren wearing their second uniform, i.e. when in Hanoverian service.

In the painting you've posted the cavalry on the right appears to be Hanoverian as well. In my opinion, the Leib-Regiment - to judge from their yellow facings. I know - the simple diagonal bar in the corner of the troopers' saddlecloths differs from the elaborate emblem that is known from uniform plates, however, in the painting you've posted, this elaborate emblem still appears to adorn the officer's saddlecloth on the unit's left flank.

Similarly, the heavy cavalry troopers' saddlecloths in the second painting are decorated with simple diagonal bars in the corners while the officer's saddlecloth shows a more elaborate design. Is it possible that, in wartime, simplified field or "Interims"-saddlecloths were issued, perhaps to the rank and file only?

In the painting you've posted, the Jägers and artillery in the foreground seem to be Hanoverian as well. In the second painting, the hussars on the far right appear to be from the Prussian "von Ruesch" Husaren-Regiment (Nr.5, with a "Totenkopf" emblem on their mirlitons), three squadrons of which were operating in the Western theatre with Ferdinand of Brunswick's army.

So, in my opinion, these two paintings represent a battle, or different battles, fought against the French between 1760 and 1762. The fact that no British but only German, especially Hanoverian cavalry units are shown may suggest that the paintings were commissioned by some personality of German origin - Luckner, perhaps? (in view of the prominently represented Luckner Hussars...) - to specifically honour the role of the Hanoverians in those events.

One painting appears to represent an attack on a French camp, the other one an attack on a French baggage train. Must leave it to those who are more familiar with the events of the SYW to find out more.

Ralphus said...

Excellent thanks