Overall: 22.5cm (11.5in) x 29.5cm (11.5in)
Watercolour on paper. A battlescape depicting heavy dragoons, (Royals) of the Union Brigade, cresting the Mont St Jean ridge behind which its commander, Sir William Ponsonby, had sheltered it from the howitzers of the Napoleon’s Grand Battery during the morning of 18 June 1815. Attributed to Henry Martens. Image: 10.5cm (4.3in) x 18cm (7in).
Shortly before 2pm Lord Uxbridge (commanding the allied cavalry and identifiable as the central mounted figure in the blue uniform of the colonel of the Seventh Hussars), rode over to Ponsonby to explain that Lord Edward Somerset’s Household Cavalry Brigade would charge the French cavalry and infantry around La Haye Sainte whilst he expected Sir William (depicted in bicorne hat behind Uxbridge) to deal with the main French infantry attack by which Napoleon intended to make his battle winning move of smashing through the weakened Allied line with 14,500 fresh infantry with cavalry and artillery support.
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Heavily outnumbered, Ponsonby was obliged to deploy all three regiments (1st Royal Dragoons, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons and Scots Greys) at once. He ordered the Royals, his most experienced regiment, to deal with the immediate threat of Bourgeois’ brigade; the Inniskillings were then to deploy against Donzelot’s 2nd Division and Marcognet’s 3rd Division; and finally his least experienced regiment the Scots Greys were to clear up the remainder of Marcognet’s troops. It was to be an attack en echelon. In the space of 30 minutes the Union Brigade, mustering approximately 1,000 sabres, rendered a third of the French attack hors de combat (killed, wounded, prisoners) and famously captured two eagles. Ponsonby however, at the forefront of the charge, fell into enemy hands and was killed when a party of Scots Greys attempted to free him.
Henry Martens (1790-1868) was born in London to German parents and became the leading military illustrator and artist of the 1830s and 40s. He worked mainly in watercolour although a few oil paintings are known. Martens is best known for the historical and contemporary works, such as ‘Costumes of the British Army’ (1848-1853,) that he created for the Anglo-German lithographer and publisher Rudolf Ackmermann who ran the Eclipse Sporting Gallery at 191 Regent Street. As with many other of his works these were engraved by John Harris. The London Commercial Directories for 1850-51 list ‘Henry Marten, artist,’ and locate his studio at 31 Conduit Street, Hanover Square, which was conveniently close to Ackermann’s gallery. The Post Office Directory for 1856 places him at 73 Stanhope Street, Hampstead Road. Martens worked mainly in watercolour although he exhibited a few oils at various galleries including the British Institution and the Society of British Artists. He exhibited pictures at various galleries including the British Institution and particularly at the Society of British Artists. Between 1828 and 1842, he showed no fewer than 34 watercolours at the latter, the majority depicting military scenes such as The Skirmish at Druminclog (1833–34), Out-post duty - English Hussar s (1836), Charles I at the Battle of Naseby (1839) and Cavalry engagement at Benevente during Sir John Moore's Retreat (1842).