Ernest Crofts
Encyclopedia
Ernest Crofts British
painter
of historical and military scenes.
on September 15, 1847, he was son of John Crofts, Esq. of Adal, near Leeds, a Justice of the Peace, and grandson of the Rev. W. Crofts, B.D., Vicar of North Grimston, near Malton, Yorkshire. One of his maternal uncles was the Rev. William Carr, B.D. of Bolton Abbey
, Yorkshire. His mother, Ellen Wordsworth, was the second cousin of the poet Wordsworth
. Ernest studied at Rugby School
, for several years, and then headed to Berlin where he developed his interest in art and decided upon a career as a painter. His first acquaintance with war was made in 1864 when he accompanied a Prussian doctor in the Schleswig-Holstein War, and the operations around Düppel
.
He returned to London and became a pupil under A.B. Clay, but was back in Germany a few years later, this time in Düsseldorf which was the center for historical painting in Europe, where he studied under the German military artist, Emil Hünten
, himself an ex-pupil of Horace Vernet
, and at the time military and historical painter to the Prussian emperor. Under Hünten, Crofts' talent as a military painter grew, and in 1874, he exhibited Retreat, representing an episode in the Franco-Prussian War
during the Battle of Gravelotte
, and in the same year, another scene from the same conflict, One touch of nature makes the whole world kin which won him the Crystal Palace prize medal. Both scenes were influenced by the artist's experience of witnessing some of the closing stages of the war, especially the battles of Weissenbourg, Worth, and the siege of Strasbourg
. While contributing regularly to the annual Royal Academy
exhibition, he continued to live in Düsseldorf where he met his future wife.
In 1875, Crofts exhibited Ligny
at the RA and at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The following year saw his picture representing The morning of the Battle of Waterloo
which captured the dawn of the day with the tired and bespattered troops. One critic described it as follows: "Mr. Crofts' large canvas is admirable in the grouping of the soldiers on the morning of the battle; the day is breaking, on a weary, wounded and mud-stained company, some lying on the bare ground with knapsacks for pillows, some up and preparing for the march. The artillery are just on the move, and the note of preparation is sounding. The tone of the picture reminds us of the French school."The artist's first notable pictures of the English Civil War
were exhibited in 1877, one of which depicted Oliver Cromwell
at Marston Moor
. In the same year, he refused the offer of an appointment of military painter to the Prince of Roumania to be attached to his staff during the Russo-Turkish War.
Crofts was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts on July 19, 1878, the year that his picture, Wellington
on his march from Quatre Bras
to Waterloo was shown. In the same year, his painting entitled The Morning of the Battle of Waterloo
was shown at the Paris International Exhibition; this depicted the French army retiring from the battlefield, with Napoleon leaving his carriage and preparing to mount his horse. The artist walked and sketched much of the area around the battlefield of Waterloo including La Haye Sainte
, Hougoumont
and La Belle Alliance
. In 1896, he was elected a full academician of the Royal Academy
, and his Diploma Work, a Civil War scene, was entitled To the Rescue. Two years later he succeeded Philip Calderon
as keeper and trustee of the RA, which gave him accommodation at Burlington House. He was in effect chief director of the academy art schools as well as chief custodian of the Diploma Galley, which required "firmness, kindness and tact," according to one obituary, and Crofts was noted for his "pleasant manner, his good looks, and his amiability of character" which made him an ideal keeper.
Besides historical scenes, Crofts did paint some contemporary military events. In 1901, for instance, the king commissioned him to paint a picture of the distribution of the war medals following the Boer War
. Two years later, he painted a large scene of the funeral of Queen Victoria. One of his most ambitious works was the panel in the ambulatory of the Royal Exchange
which portrayed Queen Elizabeth opening the first Royal Exchange in 1571. His trilogy of paintings chronicling the final moments, death and burial of Charles I
were popular, but there was some disagreement over the representation of the block upon which the king knelt to be beheaded. Some argued about the accuracy, contending that the block of the period was a lower one, being just a few inches from the ground, and that to reach it, the king would have had to lie flat.
Crofts lived at 'The Green' which he helped to re-design, next to Blythburgh
church in Suffolk
. He had married a German lady, Elizabeth Wüsthofen of Düsseldorf, and they had one daughter. The artist died of pneumonia at Burlington House on March 19, 1911. His funeral service was held at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, on Thursday, March 23, followed by his burial at Kensal Green Cemetery
. A sale of his remaining works was held at Christie, Manson & Woods on Monday, December 18, 1911.
While Crofts's pictures were popular in the 1870s and 1880s, the public lost its appetite for war paintings in the early years of the 20th century following the setbacks in South Africa. His obituary noted that "his taste was a little theatrical, and his talent not good enough to redeem it...it is safe to say that he will be best remembered, not by them, but by his good work at the Academy Schools and by his administrative services to the body of which he was a useful member...the exacting taste of the present day asks for something less conventional than his rather superficial battle scenes." While the artist's picture continue to be used as illustration in history and military books, today he is rarely mentioned as a significant historical artist.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
of historical and military scenes.
Biography
Born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
on September 15, 1847, he was son of John Crofts, Esq. of Adal, near Leeds, a Justice of the Peace, and grandson of the Rev. W. Crofts, B.D., Vicar of North Grimston, near Malton, Yorkshire. One of his maternal uncles was the Rev. William Carr, B.D. of Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey
Bolton Abbey is the estate within which is located the ruined 12th-century Augustinian Bolton Priory in North Yorkshire, England. It gives its name to the parish of Bolton Abbey.-Bolton Priory:...
, Yorkshire. His mother, Ellen Wordsworth, was the second cousin of the poet Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
. Ernest studied at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, for several years, and then headed to Berlin where he developed his interest in art and decided upon a career as a painter. His first acquaintance with war was made in 1864 when he accompanied a Prussian doctor in the Schleswig-Holstein War, and the operations around Düppel
Dybbøl
Dybbøl is a small town, with a population of 2,457 in the southeastern corner of South Jutland, Denmark. It is located around west of Sønderborg....
.
He returned to London and became a pupil under A.B. Clay, but was back in Germany a few years later, this time in Düsseldorf which was the center for historical painting in Europe, where he studied under the German military artist, Emil Hünten
Emil Hünten
Emil Johannes Hünten was a German military painter.-Biography:Born in Paris on January 19, 1827, the son of the composer, Franz Hünten, he studied art under H. Flandrin and Horace Vernet at the Ecole des Beaux Arts...
, himself an ex-pupil of Horace Vernet
Horace Vernet
Émile Jean-Horace Vernet was a French painter of battles, portraits, and Orientalist Arab subjects.Vernet was born to Carle Vernet, another famous painter, who was himself a son of Claude Joseph Vernet. He was born in the Paris Louvre, while his parents were staying there during the French...
, and at the time military and historical painter to the Prussian emperor. Under Hünten, Crofts' talent as a military painter grew, and in 1874, he exhibited Retreat, representing an episode in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
during the Battle of Gravelotte
Battle of Gravelotte
The Battle of Gravelotte was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine between Metz and the former French–German frontier.-Terrain and armies:...
, and in the same year, another scene from the same conflict, One touch of nature makes the whole world kin which won him the Crystal Palace prize medal. Both scenes were influenced by the artist's experience of witnessing some of the closing stages of the war, especially the battles of Weissenbourg, Worth, and the siege of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. While contributing regularly to the annual Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
exhibition, he continued to live in Düsseldorf where he met his future wife.
In 1875, Crofts exhibited Ligny
Battle of Ligny
The Battle of Ligny was the last victory of the military career of Napoleon I. In this battle, French troops of the Armée du Nord under Napoleon's command, defeated a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, near Ligny in present-day Belgium. The bulk of the Prussian army survived, however, and...
at the RA and at the International Exhibition in Philadelphia. The following year saw his picture representing The morning of the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
which captured the dawn of the day with the tired and bespattered troops. One critic described it as follows: "Mr. Crofts' large canvas is admirable in the grouping of the soldiers on the morning of the battle; the day is breaking, on a weary, wounded and mud-stained company, some lying on the bare ground with knapsacks for pillows, some up and preparing for the march. The artillery are just on the move, and the note of preparation is sounding. The tone of the picture reminds us of the French school."The artist's first notable pictures of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
were exhibited in 1877, one of which depicted Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
at Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
. In the same year, he refused the offer of an appointment of military painter to the Prince of Roumania to be attached to his staff during the Russo-Turkish War.
Crofts was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Arts on July 19, 1878, the year that his picture, Wellington
Duke of Wellington
The Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
on his march from Quatre Bras
Battle of Quatre Bras
The Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
to Waterloo was shown. In the same year, his painting entitled The Morning of the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
was shown at the Paris International Exhibition; this depicted the French army retiring from the battlefield, with Napoleon leaving his carriage and preparing to mount his horse. The artist walked and sketched much of the area around the battlefield of Waterloo including La Haye Sainte
La Haye Sainte
La Haye Sainte is a walled farmhouse compound at the foot of an escarpment on the Charleroi-Brussels road. It has changed very little since it played a very important part in the battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815...
, Hougoumont
Hougoumont
Hougoumont was a fortified farm held by Wellington's army in the Battle of Waterloo. It may also refer to:* Hougoumont , a convict ship;...
and La Belle Alliance
La Belle Alliance
La Belle Alliance is an inn situated a few miles south of Brussels in Belgium.On the morning of June 18, 1815 the inn became Napoleon Bonaparte's headquarters for the Battle of Waterloo....
. In 1896, he was elected a full academician of the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
, and his Diploma Work, a Civil War scene, was entitled To the Rescue. Two years later he succeeded Philip Calderon
Philip Calderon
Philip Hermogenes Calderon was an English painter of French birth and Spanish ancestry who initially worked in the Pre-Raphaelite style before moving towards historical genre. He was Keeper of the Royal Academy in London.Calderon was born in Poitiers, France...
as keeper and trustee of the RA, which gave him accommodation at Burlington House. He was in effect chief director of the academy art schools as well as chief custodian of the Diploma Galley, which required "firmness, kindness and tact," according to one obituary, and Crofts was noted for his "pleasant manner, his good looks, and his amiability of character" which made him an ideal keeper.
Besides historical scenes, Crofts did paint some contemporary military events. In 1901, for instance, the king commissioned him to paint a picture of the distribution of the war medals following the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
. Two years later, he painted a large scene of the funeral of Queen Victoria. One of his most ambitious works was the panel in the ambulatory of the Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange may refer to:*Royal Exchange, Belfast a major mixed-use regeneration scheme in the North East Quarter of Belfast City Centre*Royal Exchange, Manchester, a 19th century classical building, home of the Royal Exchange Theatre...
which portrayed Queen Elizabeth opening the first Royal Exchange in 1571. His trilogy of paintings chronicling the final moments, death and burial of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
were popular, but there was some disagreement over the representation of the block upon which the king knelt to be beheaded. Some argued about the accuracy, contending that the block of the period was a lower one, being just a few inches from the ground, and that to reach it, the king would have had to lie flat.
Crofts lived at 'The Green' which he helped to re-design, next to Blythburgh
Blythburgh
Blythburgh is a small English village in an area known as the Sandlings, part of the Suffolk heritage coast. Located close to an area of flooded marshland and mud-flats, in 2007 its population was estimated to be 300. Blythburgh is best known for its church, Holy Trinity, internationally known as...
church in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. He had married a German lady, Elizabeth Wüsthofen of Düsseldorf, and they had one daughter. The artist died of pneumonia at Burlington House on March 19, 1911. His funeral service was held at St. James's Church, Piccadilly, on Thursday, March 23, followed by his burial at Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
. A sale of his remaining works was held at Christie, Manson & Woods on Monday, December 18, 1911.
While Crofts's pictures were popular in the 1870s and 1880s, the public lost its appetite for war paintings in the early years of the 20th century following the setbacks in South Africa. His obituary noted that "his taste was a little theatrical, and his talent not good enough to redeem it...it is safe to say that he will be best remembered, not by them, but by his good work at the Academy Schools and by his administrative services to the body of which he was a useful member...the exacting taste of the present day asks for something less conventional than his rather superficial battle scenes." While the artist's picture continue to be used as illustration in history and military books, today he is rarely mentioned as a significant historical artist.
Paintings (selection)
- The Gunpowder PlotGunpowder PlotThe Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
(1892) - Wallenstein: A Scene of the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
(1884 - Leeds Art GalleryLeeds Art GalleryLeeds Art Gallery in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is a museum whose collection of 20th century British Art is recognised by the British government as a collection "of national importance". Its collection also includes 19th century and earlier art works. The gallery opened on 3 October 1888 as...
)
English Civil War
- Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
at the Battle of Marston MoorBattle of Marston MoorThe Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
(1877) - Prince Rupert and Staff (1875 - IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
Museums and Art Galleries) - Ironsides returning from sacking a Cavalier's House (1877)
- Charles ICharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
on his way to Execution (1883) - At the Sign of the Blue Boar, Holborn (Cromwell questioning a prisoner) (1883 - Dudley Museum and Art GalleryDudley Museum and Art GalleryDudley Museum and Art Gallery is a public museum and art gallery located in the town centre of Dudley in the West Midlands, England. It was opened in 1883, situated within buildings on St James's Road, and has remained at this site ever since.-Geology:...
) - The return from a raid (1886)
- The BoscobelBoscobelBoscobel is a very small civil parish in the east of Shropshire, England, on the border with Staffordshire. To the north is the Staffordshire village of Bishops Wood....
Oak (1889) - HampdenJohn HampdenJohn Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
riding away from Chalgrove Field (1889) - WhitehallWhitehallWhitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, January 30, 1649 (1890) - A Parliamentary Convoy surprised by Royalists (1891)
- Charles ICharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
at Battle of EdgehillBattle of EdgehillThe Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
(1892) - Prince Rupert (1893)
- Roundheads Victorious (1894)
- CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
questioning a Prisoner (1895 - Mappin Art Gallery, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) - To the Rescue: An Episode of the Civil War (Diploma Work, 1896 - Royal Academy of Art)
- Charles IICharles II of EnglandCharles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
at Whiteladies after the Battle of WorcesterBattle of WorcesterThe Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
(1898) - Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
at the storming of Basing HouseBasing HouseBasing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
(1900 - Leeds Art GalleryLeeds Art GalleryLeeds Art Gallery in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England is a museum whose collection of 20th century British Art is recognised by the British government as a collection "of national importance". Its collection also includes 19th century and earlier art works. The gallery opened on 3 October 1888 as...
) - The Surrender of Donnington CastleDonnington CastleDonnington Castle is a ruined medieval castle, situated in the small village of Donnington, just north of the town of Newbury in the English county of Berkshire.- History :...
(1903) - Prince Rupert and his staff at Marston MoorBattle of Marston MoorThe Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
(1903) - Funeral of King Charles ICharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, St. George's Chapel, WindsorWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
(1907) - The surrender of the City of York to the Roundheads (1908)
- CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
after the Battle of Marston MoorBattle of Marston MoorThe Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
(1909 - Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, BurnleyBurnleyBurnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
)
- William IIIWilliam III of EnglandWilliam III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
at LandenBattle of LandenThe Battle of Landen , in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the Nine Years' War, fought in present-day Belgium on 29 July 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England...
War of the Spanish Succession
- MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
at the head of his troops - Leading the way
- Cavalry on the road
- MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
after the Battle of RamilliesBattle of RamilliesThe Battle of Ramillies , fought on 23 May 1706, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession. For the Grand Alliance – Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic – the battle had followed an indecisive campaign against the Bourbon armies of King Louis XIV of France in 1705...
War of the Austrian Succession
- George II at DettingenBattle of DettingenThe Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
Napoleonic Wars
- Ligny. "With might unquestion'd: power to save, etc." (1875)
- On the morning of the Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1876 - Mappin Art Gallery, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) - WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonField Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
's march from Quatre BrasBattle of Quatre BrasThe Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
to WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1876 - Mappin Art Gallery, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) - On the evening of the Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1879 - Walker Art GalleryWalker Art GalleryThe Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group, and is promoted as "the National Gallery of the North" because it is not a local or regional gallery but is part...
, LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
) * A pause in the attack - HougoumontHougoumontHougoumont was a fortified farm held by Wellington's army in the Battle of Waterloo. It may also refer to:* Hougoumont , a convict ship;...
, Waterloo (1881 - Cavalry and Guards ClubCavalry and Guards ClubThe Cavalry and Guards Club is a London gentlemen's club, at 127 Piccadilly, situated next to the RAF Club. It has three foundation dates:*1810, the foundation date of the Guards' Club, which was based in Pall Mall....
, London) - A pause in the attack - HougoumontHougoumontHougoumont was a fortified farm held by Wellington's army in the Battle of Waterloo. It may also refer to:* Hougoumont , a convict ship;...
, Waterloo (1882) - At the Farm of Mont St. Jean (1882)
- Napoleon leaving Moscow (1887)
- The morning of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
: Napoleon's headquarters (1891) - Napoleon's last grand attack at WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1895) - The Capture of a French Battery by the 52nd Regiment at WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
(1896 - The RiflesThe RiflesThe Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
) - The attack on the gatehouse of the chateau of HougoumontHougoumontHougoumont was a fortified farm held by Wellington's army in the Battle of Waterloo. It may also refer to:* Hougoumont , a convict ship;...
(1897) - Near La Belle AllianceLa Belle AllianceLa Belle Alliance is an inn situated a few miles south of Brussels in Belgium.On the morning of June 18, 1815 the inn became Napoleon Bonaparte's headquarters for the Battle of Waterloo....
at dawn, June 18th, 1815 (1906)
Post Waterloo
- Charge of the 3rd King's Own Light Dragoons, MoodkeeBattle of MudkiThe Battle of Mudki was fought on 18 December 1845, between the forces of the British East India Company and part of the Khalsa, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The British army won an untidy encounter battle, suffering heavy casualties....
(1893 - Queen's Own HussarsQueen's Own HussarsThe Queen's Own Hussars, normally referred to by the abbreviation QOH, was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed from the amalgamation of 3rd The King's Own Hussars and the 7th Queen's Own Hussars at Candahar Barracks, Tidworth in 1958....
) - A Retreat: Episode in the German-French WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
(1874) - 1870 - An incdient in the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian WarThe Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
(1874) - "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin" (Prussian soldier giving refreshment to wounded Frenchman, 1870) (1873)
Works about
- Chester, Austin, "The Art of Mr. Ernest Crofts, R.A.," - Windsor Magazine, March 1909, pp. 455-468.
- Harrington, Peter. (1993). British Artists and War: The Face of Battle in Paintings and Prints, 1700-1914. London: Greenhill.
- K., P.G., "Ernest Crofts (1847-1911)," in Dictionary of National Biography, page 444.
- Spielmann, M.H., "Battle-Painting and Mr. Ernest Crofts, R.A.'" - Cassell's Magazine, Dec. 1901-May, 1902, pp. 421-429.