Studio RT Ltd

Description

We are pleased to offer this attractive pair of Naval and Military Chromolithographs, dating from the late Victorian period.

One of them depicts three naval engagements, covering the changes in naval ships, from sailing vessels to ironclad battleships, taken from the paintings of William Lionel Wyllie, as you can see the signature on all three. Also the cameo portrait on the lower right hand side we think we have identified as Joseph Chamberlain, the Liberal politician and father of Neville Chamberlain. We believe the others to be prominent Victorians, but we haven't managed to identify them yet.

We have managed to identify, we hope, two of the pictures on the military Chromolithograph. The top one being a reproduction of a painting entitled Relief of the Light Brigade by Richard Caton Woodville II. The llth Hussars and the 17th Lancers strike the Russian Battery at the end of the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava. We also think it is possible that the small left hand cameo at the top of the print is Lord Raglan, with Lord Cardigan, possibly, at the top right hand corner. The bottom picture we believe relates to the Zulu Wars, when Lord Chelmsford led more than half his force into the hills searching for the Zulu, while the Zulu attacked the remainder of his force at Isandlwana, leaving none alive. We cannot find the original of this picture, but think that it is Lord Chelmsford and his forces looking down on the burning camp.

Both of these Chromolithographs are embellished in gold, with very attractive patterned borders and, as we have by no means identified every scene or person depicted, would be an interesting historical puzzle for anyone interested in naval or military history.

Army Image size: 15" x 11" - 38.1cm x 27.95cm
Navy Image size: 14 3/4" x 10 3/4" - 37.5cm x 27.3cm

Army Frame size: 22" x 18 1/8" - 55.85cm x 46cm
Navy Frame size: 22" x 18" - 55.85cm x 45.7cm

Medium: Chromolithograph on paper

Condition: Navy one in is very good condition. Army one has a 6" crease coming down from the top about a third of the way along from the left, and a very small repaired tear 2 5/8" up from the bottom left hand corner. Neither of these are noticeable when the item is hung. The double mounts are new and the frames both have a little age related wear.