Historical
military prints by Sir John Gilbert. Military prints of medieval battles, Battle
of Agincourt, Battle of Naseby and Joan of Ark and Henry VIII published by
Cranston Fine Arts, the military art company.
Artist
Information: Sir
John Gilbert His father was a captain in the Royal
East London Militia, but after this regiment was disbanded, became an
estate-agent. John Gilbert started in this business but showed a talent for
sketching, and submitted his first picture for exhibition at the age of
nineteen. He was soon exhibiting at the Royal Academy and became a full
academician in 1876. Five years earlier, he had been knighted. Gilbert was also
a major illustrator of the nineteenth century and frequently contributed
pictures to the Illustrated London News one of which depicted the Charge of the
Scots Greys at Waterloo. His interest in history led to numerous paintings,
particularly water-colours of historic battles. The Civil War was a common theme
in his output, and several important canvases exist: Waiting for the Ring:
Marston Moor (Southgate Gallery of Wolverhampton), A Regiment of Royalist
Cavalry, and Naseby (Towneley Hall Art Gallery, Burnley), which was exhibited at
Royal Academy in 1873. Similarly, the Crusades and the Middle Ages provided
material for military pictures, e.g. The Morning of the Battle of Agincourt and
Queen Margaret of Anjou taken prisoners after the Battle of Tewkesbury (both
Guildhall Art Gallery), Crusaders an the March (water-colour in Victorian and
Albert Museum), and The Battle of the Standard, Northallerton (water-colour in
Guildhall Art Gallery; another version at Oldham Art Gallery). His canvas Edward
111 at the Siege of Calais was destroyed by enemy bombing when the Guildhall Art
Gallery was hit. Reference: DNB; Spielman 1897; Oldcastle 1878 |