Artwork
Departing Army
Departing Army is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist August Querfurt. It dates from 1736 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Painted in 1736 by Austrian artist August Querfurt, *Departing Army* is a cavalry scene rendered in the stylistic vein of the Rococo era.
Painted in 1736 by Austrian artist August Querfurt, *Departing Army* is a cavalry scene rendered in the stylistic vein of the Rococo era. Querfurt, trained by his father and later under Johann Andreas Rugendas, focused on military and equestrian subjects. The work captures a moment of departure, emphasizing motion and group dynamics rather than narrative detail. It resides today in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a group of mounted soldiers preparing to move out, with a central figure on a white horse drawing the eye. No specific battle or historical event is identified; instead, the focus lies in the ritual of military departure. The composition suggests order within movement, reflecting the discipline of cavalry units without glorifying conflict. The absence of combat underscores a quiet, transitional moment in military life.
Technique & Style
Querfurt employed bold, energetic brushwork to convey motion and texture, particularly in the horses’ coats and flowing cloaks. Contrasts between dark equine forms and the pale, diffused sky create subtle chiaroscuro effects. His palette favors earth tones with muted highlights, aligning with northern European traditions of equestrian painting. The landscape is simplified, serving as a backdrop that enhances the figures’ dynamism rather than dominating the scene.
History & Provenance
Created during Querfurt’s mature period, the painting reflects his established reputation for military subjects. He was influenced by Dutch genre painters like Philips Wouwerman, whose compositions of cavalry and hunting scenes were widely admired. The work entered the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, where it has remained since at least the 19th century, though its exact acquisition path remains undocumented.
Context
In early 18th-century Europe, military-themed paintings were popular among aristocratic patrons and state institutions seeking to document or idealize armed forces. Querfurt’s work fits within a broader tradition of equestrian art that valued technical precision and atmospheric realism over dramatic heroism. His focus on movement and group cohesion reflects contemporary interest in the organization and discipline of standing armies.
Legacy
Though not widely known today, Querfurt’s oeuvre contributed to the persistence of military genre painting in Central Europe. *Departing Army* exemplifies a quiet, observational approach to cavalry life, distinct from the grand narratives of battle painting. Its presence in a major Danish collection attests to its recognition within broader Nordic art historical circles, preserving a niche but consistent strand of 18th-century European art.
Artist & collection
Artist
August Querfurt (1696, Wolfenbüttel – 1761, Vienna) was an Austrian painter. He painted primarily soldiers and battle scenes. He was first instructed by his father, Tobias Querfurt, a landscape and animal painter, and…
