Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

WW1 French Cavalry Battle Oil Painting Retreat From Mons By Edith Alice Simkins

¥84,791.00

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This Huge WW1 French Cavalry Battle Oil Painting is a stunning work of art by Edith Alice Simkins 1870-1949. The painting depicts a retreat from Mons after the charge, and it's certain to be a beautiful addition to any room.
An impressive size with the frame being 137cm in width, & 87cm high.
Subject WW1 French cavalry dragoons battle in full retreat scene.
Title "After the Charge".
The scene is of WW1 French Dragoons who were massacred during the opening battle and was the start of The Great Retreat (French: Grande Retrieve), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western Front in the First World War had been defeated by the armies of the German Empire at the Battle of Charleroi (21 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). A counter-offensive by the Fifth Army, with some assistance from the BEF, at the First Battle of Guise (Battle of St. Quentin 29–30 August) failed to end the German advance and the retreat continued over the Marne from 5 to 12 September.
Having such perspective, your focus is drawn to the central brown cavalry horse galloping away in the foreground, the detail is exceptional, the saddle and equipment it's carrying, the fine strong muscle definition and the look of fear with his ears pointing down you can feel the urgency to get away from the German machine guns and she'll fire. Just to the right a white horse rearing upwards with other horses further over in the distance heading towards the remnants of the forest trees which have mostly been destroyed by the shell fire. Bottom right you can see a small hand gun which has been dropped in the retreat. To the left there is a helmet with a red feather laying on the ground, just further back a French soldier who has been shot dead has just fallen from his horse, Over to the bottom left are 2 horses side by side running away. In the background many other horses in panic, you can see clouds of smoke and dust in the air rising up. What is also interesting is that all the horses are riderless, as all the cavalry dragoon soldiers are dead.
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the bottom corner by the known British artist E A Simkins.
Artist biography verso.
British Suffolk Artist Edith Alice Simkins, was born at Carlton-in-Gelding, Nottinghamshire on 26 December 1870, daughter of Daniel Simkins (c1828-29 August 1887), a butcher, and his wife Elizabeth née Keep (c1832-29 September 1897), who married at St Nicholas Church, Nottingham on 24 June 1856. In 1881, a 10-year-old, living at 10 Goldsmith Street, Nottingham with her parents, 53-year-old Daniel and 49-year-old Elizabeth and her four siblings Elizabeth 22, Jane 19, Mary Louisa 12 and Frederick Arthur 8, all born at Nottingham.
A member and exhibitor at the Ipswich Art Club.
She died back at 64 Talbot Street, Nottingham on 18 July 1949, aged 78, she was unmarried. She signed her work 'E A Simkins' and usually dated. Further information see suffolkartists & Christie's.
She pays such attention to animal details, just like Land seer.
Provenance label verso.
An exceptional, fine example of her work.
Set in a traditional, stylish gilt frame.
Circa early 20th century, dated 1939.
Such a delightful scene to the eye.
Highly sought after due to the collectible nature of subject of such elaborate detail.
With hanging thread on the back, ready for immediate home wall display.
Incredible conversation piece for your guests.
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Condition report.
Offered in fine used condition.
Front painting surface in reasonable order. Having various noticeable paint loss, flaking, scuffs, foxing staining, scratches to the painting surface in various places. Gilt frame having some signs of repairs with some minor chips, scuffs general wear, also some over painting in areas commensurate with usage & age.
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Dimensions in centimetres of the frame

High (87cm)
Wide (137cm)
Depth thickness of frame (4cm)