Can anyone please help in Identifying painting or artist

mikewhitenz · March 8th, 2010, 03:03 PM

This painting / print hung in my Grandmothers house and on her death my Parents hung it in their house. I can remember this painting from my early childhood hanging behind an attic door, it used to frighten me. When my parents passed away this now came into my possession and I had it framed some 30 years ago. I am now 80 years of age so I estimate that this is now at least 100 years old, I would like to pass it on to my oldest however I would like to identify what the painting is, who the artist might be and if this has any value other than sentiment.

saintmarc · March 10th, 2010, 08:55 AM

Hello mike..
I have a little idea about this painting :
It is evidently this sort of paintings that military english painters as Hillingford, Butler, Gibb...used to paint and we have here more particularly one of these scenes of the battle of Waterloo with Wellington in the taste of that we see here :
http://www.military-art.com/mall/napoleonic.htm
Right? Here is my idea now :
We can see in the link above numerous portraits of Wellington raising his hat, each time to the courage of his army or simply saluting foot guards and other, but normally after the victory and I find curious this general placidly saluting, with no scream or order on his lips and looking in an other direction when his soldiers seems to be joining a hard charge.
An other remark is about the expression of the soldiers showing not this courageous resolution or this anger we can see on the face of men during an assault
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PjMVCKQDVg...Talavera.j pg
..but a sort of fear. At least they look amazed. Now we are supposed to look at a patriotic painting and really I can't imagine an english artist giving his soldiers (moreover known as winners of the battle) such an expression.
So I think this artist has used here his talent for advertising for any label whatever.
Couvoisier cognac? who traditionally used the shape of Napoleon (Put a bottle on the right of the image and it gets its whole signification)
This "Waterloo" tractor I find on the web (Well! if Napoleon would have used our tractor..)
This car made about 1910 in the town of Waterloo (Iowa)?
Or "Help! Frenchies are drinking Coca Cola!
Or I don't know what...

What do you think about my little theory?

John · March 10th, 2010, 10:52 AM

I thought it might be for a magazine cover or a book jacket, particularly a story about the drummer boy who seems to be the focus of the picture. You're right about the expressions of the soldiers, though. None of them has the normal intense expression of men plunging into battle.

John · March 10th, 2010, 12:38 PM

BTW, I do like the dramatic point of view of the painting. It reminds me of these two famous works.

Lady Butler: Scotland For Ever!

Charles Schreyvogel: Breaking Through the Line

Do you know where this might have been painted? Where did your grandmother live?

saintmarc · 09:15 PM

I did post before about the book "Harry...." (see now the unregistered coming soon below) GRRR..I hate me when I forget to log in

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You are right john, may be :
"Harry the drummer or the boy soldier, a story of the peninsula and Waterloo" by
Agnes Trevor Dean, first published 1882. I know that this first edition did not contain illustration or illustrated cover but they could have exist other editions.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to find informations online. The British Library lists only the first edition, the main libraries in Canada, Australia.. ignore this title and we can only find today a modern reprint on demand.
I don't think the image of mike is really a painting. IT looks like a print, a litho or something like that and it would be interesting to know the size

John · March 10th, 2010, 06:51 PM

Looks big. It's hard to be sure, but I would guess 2 feet by 3 feet.

mikewhitenz · March 14th, 2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saintmarc

I did post before about the book "Harry...." (see now the unregistered coming soon below) GRRR..I hate me when I forget to log in

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You are right john, may be :
"Harry the drummer or the boy soldier, a story of the peninsula and Waterloo" by
Agnes Trevor Dean, first published 1882. I know that this first edition did not contain illustration or illustrated cover but they could have exist other editions.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to find informations online. The British Library lists only the first edition, the main libraries in Canada, Australia.. ignore this title and we can only find today a modern reprint on demand.
I don't think the image of mike is really a painting. IT looks like a print, a litho or something like that and it would be interesting to know the size

It is in the frame at 21" X 32", I haven't taken the backing off the frame as yet as I do not wish to damage the work, however I agree that it does look like being litho or equivalent and not a painting. Not sure what was available pre 1900.

saintmarc · March 16th, 2010, 04:24 PM

Hello Mike,
With such dimensions I guess this image could be a movie advert of the years 1920/25. I checked the movies between the years 1900-1930 with titles containing words as "drummer-waterloo-napoleon-boy soldier-harry (see my answer above)" and a lot of movies has been made which could fit to your "painting". Unfortunately you know that posters of this time are very rares and I can't find an exact answer.
Best regards

March 8th, 2010, 03:03 PM	#1
mikewhitenz Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 2	Can anyone please help in Identifying painting or artist This painting / print hung in my Grandmothers house and on her death my Parents hung it in their house. I can remember this painting from my early childhood hanging behind an attic door, it used to frighten me. When my parents passed away this now came into my possession and I had it framed some 30 years ago. I am now 80 years of age so I estimate that this is now at least 100 years old, I would like to pass it on to my oldest however I would like to identify what the painting is, who the artist might be and if this has any value other than sentiment.

March 10th, 2010, 01:33 PM	#5
saintmarc Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 184	I did post before about the book "Harry...." (see now the unregistered coming soon below) GRRR..I hate me when I forget to log in -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are right john, may be : "Harry the drummer or the boy soldier, a story of the peninsula and Waterloo" by Agnes Trevor Dean, first published 1882. I know that this first edition did not contain illustration or illustrated cover but they could have exist other editions. Unfortunately, it is impossible to find informations online. The British Library lists only the first edition, the main libraries in Canada, Australia.. ignore this title and we can only find today a modern reprint on demand. I don't think the image of mike is really a painting. IT looks like a print, a litho or something like that and it would be interesting to know the size Last edited by saintmarc : March 10th, 2010 at 09:15 PM.

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March 10th, 2010, 08:55 AM	#2
saintmarc Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 184	Hello mike.. I have a little idea about this painting : It is evidently this sort of paintings that military english painters as Hillingford, Butler, Gibb...used to paint and we have here more particularly one of these scenes of the battle of Waterloo with Wellington in the taste of that we see here : http://www.military-art.com/mall/napoleonic.htm Right? Here is my idea now : We can see in the link above numerous portraits of Wellington raising his hat, each time to the courage of his army or simply saluting foot guards and other, but normally after the victory and I find curious this general placidly saluting, with no scream or order on his lips and looking in an other direction when his soldiers seems to be joining a hard charge. An other remark is about the expression of the soldiers showing not this courageous resolution or this anger we can see on the face of men during an assault http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PjMVCKQDVg...Talavera.j pg ..but a sort of fear. At least they look amazed. Now we are supposed to look at a patriotic painting and really I can't imagine an english artist giving his soldiers (moreover known as winners of the battle) such an expression. So I think this artist has used here his talent for advertising for any label whatever. Couvoisier cognac? who traditionally used the shape of Napoleon (Put a bottle on the right of the image and it gets its whole signification) This "Waterloo" tractor I find on the web (Well! if Napoleon would have used our tractor..) This car made about 1910 in the town of Waterloo (Iowa)? Or "Help! Frenchies are drinking Coca Cola! Or I don't know what... What do you think about my little theory?

March 10th, 2010, 10:52 AM	#3
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 816	I thought it might be for a magazine cover or a book jacket, particularly a story about the drummer boy who seems to be the focus of the picture. You're right about the expressions of the soldiers, though. None of them has the normal intense expression of men plunging into battle.

March 10th, 2010, 12:38 PM	#4
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 816	BTW, I do like the dramatic point of view of the painting. It reminds me of these two famous works. Lady Butler: Scotland For Ever! Charles Schreyvogel: Breaking Through the Line Do you know where this might have been painted? Where did your grandmother live?

March 10th, 2010, 06:51 PM	#6
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 816	Looks big. It's hard to be sure, but I would guess 2 feet by 3 feet.

March 16th, 2010, 04:24 PM	#8
saintmarc Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 184	Hello Mike, With such dimensions I guess this image could be a movie advert of the years 1920/25. I checked the movies between the years 1900-1930 with titles containing words as "drummer-waterloo-napoleon-boy soldier-harry (see my answer above)" and a lot of movies has been made which could fit to your "painting". Unfortunately you know that posters of this time are very rares and I can't find an exact answer. Best regards