Oil Painting WW1 French Dragoons Cavalry Battle the Great Retreat From Mons After the Charge by Edith Alice Simkins

Description

1 Fine Huge Dramatic Military WW1 French Cavalry Battle Scene Work Of Art Oil Painting After The Charge By Edith … more 1 Fine Huge Dramatic Military WW1 French Cavalry Battle Scene Work Of Art Oil Painting After The Charge By Edith Alice Simkins 1870-1949.
A huge impressive size with the frae being 137cm in width and 87cm high.
Subject WW1 French cavalry dragoons battle in full retreat scene.
Title "After the Charge".
The scene is of WW1 French Dragoons who where massacred during the opening battle and was the start of The Great Retreat (French: Grande Retraite), 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 its 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 shell 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 of the horses are riderless as all of 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-Gedling, Nottinghamshire on 26 December 1870, daughter of Daniel Simkins (c1828-29 August 1887), a butcher, and his wife Elizabeth née Neep (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.
In 1901, 30 year old Edith was living on her own means at Castle Hill, Castle Donington, Leicestershire with three of her unmarried sisters and in 1911, a 38 year old 'artist' and independent, living at Main Street, Long Whatton, Leicestershire with her 41 year old sister Mary, a farmer.
A member and exhibitor at the Ipswich Art Club 1935-1949 but had exhibited from 'The Gorse', Blaxhall, Suffolk in 1932, an oil 'Run Old Man, we'll Save the Dinner', and in 1935 exhibited two oils 'The Retreat of the Serbian Army' and 'Hunters at Graze', two in 1937 'Sad News' and 'The Riding Mistress' and was a regular exhibitor including in 1941, three works 'The Tussle for the Ball', 'Old Mortality' and 'The Charge of the Fort Garry Horse', in 1942 'The Gay Sound of the Horn and the Hound', in 1943 an oil 'After the Charge' and in 1944 an oil 'Rangers of North Britain' when she was still living at The Garden House, Kelsale cum Carlton in Suffolk.
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.
For further information and for other examples see suffolkartists, Christies & Mutualart.
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 sporting nature of subject matter 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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Dimensions in inches & centimetres of the frame approximate

High 34.25" (87cm)
Wide 53.93" (137cm)
Depth thickness of frame 1.57" (4cm) less