Horace Vernet, Carl Vernet

Horace Vernet, French military artists of the early 19th Century. Historical military paintings are reproduced as fine art military prints by Cranston Fine Arts, the military print company.

Emile Jean Horace Vernet The artist was born in Paris, in the galleries of the Louvre on 30th June, 1789 where his parents were lodging during the occupation of the palace in the revolution. He attained early distinction and quickly developed a disdain for the classical school of David. He set about therefore to develop his own style and his taste led him to military subjects. Taking nature as his guide, Vernet depicted the French soldier as he really was rather than in an idealised fashion. His pictures Dog of the Regiment, Trumpeter's Horse and Death of Poniatowski along with similar compositions gave him universal popularity. In 1819 he began to paint large battle scenes but though he worked on an immense scale and with the utmost speed, his figures and groupings were thoroughly artistic. In the past, artists had represented episodes in warfare but Vernet brought whole battlefields before his audience as in his famous Battle of Italy and Capture of Rome. Several of his well-known paintings represented battles of the French Revolution such as Valmy and Jemapes. One of his most famous pictures painted in 1826 entitled the Battle of the Bridge of Arcole showed the young Napoleon seizing a tattered flag and leading his men across the bridge on 17th November, 1796. He represented many of the victories of Napoleon including scenes of the emperor at the Battle of Jena, Friedland, and Wagram. During the Crimean War, he accompanied the French army and produced several important paintings including the Battle of the Alma exhibited in 1856. His Algerian battle pieces such as the Occupation by the French Army of the Pass of Mouzia, and the Capture of Smalah were well received as he had drawn the soldiers and the events from nature. Once when asked by Louis Napoleon to alter a picture of a military review leaving out a certain general who was obnoxious to the French emperor, Vernet refused to do it stating "I am a painter of history, sire and I will not violate the truth." Vernet died in Paris on 17th January, 1863. Peter Harrington

The Dog of the Regiment is Wounded by Horace Vernet
The Dead Trumpeter by H Vernet A trumpeter of the Chasseurs Cheval lies dead with his faithful horse overlooking the body.
A Grenadier of the Guard at Elba by Horace Vernet Wearing patched white trousers and gaiters made of mattress ticking. In the mid distance, officers of the Polish Lancers and the Guard. Napoleon stands on the distant cliff. To the right a ship flies a tricolour. The Elba battalion was Napoleons bodyguard in exile, comprising six companies of Guardsmen, 100 artillery men and a crew of 21 seamen, They formed the nucleus of the Imperial Guard in 1815.
The Veteran at Home by Horace Vernet A Grenadier of the Old Guard in tenue des climanches, with beige breeches and white stockings, he is shown playing with a small child while on leave.
The Battle of Jemappes by Horace Vernet On the 6th November 1792 Dumouriez defeated the Austrians under the Duke of Saxe Teshen and Clerfayt at Jemappes, near Mons. This led to the French Occupation of Belgium
Battle of Valmy by Horace Vernet The French General Kellerman (Duc de Valmy) resisted the invading armies under the Duke of Brunswick at Valmy, between Reims and Verdun, on 20th September, 1792, a turning-point in the French revolutionary wars.
Battle of Montmirail by Horace Vernet One of Napoleons last successes in France when he defeated the Russian General Sacken on 11th February 1814 at Montmirail near Paris.
The Battle of Hanau by Horace Vernet The campaign of Leipzig forced Napoleon to retire to the west of the Rhine, in the course of which he defeated a force of Germans at Hanau near Frankfurt on 30th October 1813.
Battle of Fontenoy by H Vernet Battle of Fontenoy during the war of Austrian Succession. French victory under Marshal Maurice De Saxe over the allies (British, Dutch and German under the Duke of Cumberland), 11th May 1745. Fontenoy, 5 miles south east of Tournai (Tolnay), the battle which started with a Dutch assault and British and Hanovarian infantry advance against the French centre during the battle a sudden attack by an Irish Brigade under French command, attacked the allied forces. The allied square was broken but the British, Hanovarian and Dutch forces retreated in good order.
The Bataille de Bouvines 27th July 1214 by Vernet Fought at Bouvines a village in Flanders (now part of France) Between the French army led by King Philip Augustus of France, against the combined forces of King John of England, The Holy Roman Emperor Otti IV, and Ferdinand Count of Flanders. Due to this French victory, Frederick of Hohenstaufen became Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1215. and King John of England who could not wage war against France because of dwindling support was forced to sign the Magna Charter on June 15th 1215.