Who painted Sardinian Officer?

Sardinian Officer was painted by Gustave Doré in 1804.

Where can I see Sardinian Officer?

Sardinian Officer is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Sardinian Officer?

Sardinian Officer is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Sardinian Officer?

Museum-quality prints of Sardinian Officer are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Sardinian Officer

Gustave Doré , 1804

Sardinian Officer is a print by the Impressionist artist Gustave Doré. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Gustave Doré’s print titled “Sardinian Officer,” executed around 1804, depicts a tumultuous combat episode. The image is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed among other works of 19th‑century European printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a chaotic battlefield: a soldier wearing a white headwrap thrusts a spear toward a fallen officer still gripping his horse’s reins. Around them lie scattered weapons and bodies, suggesting the sudden collapse of order and the violence inherent in war.

Technique & Style

Doré employs stark chiaroscuro, contrasting deep shadows with bright highlights to intensify the sense of movement and urgency. The sketchy, smudged lines convey a feeling of immediacy, a characteristic approach in 19th‑century battle illustrations that aimed to capture drama rather than precise detail.

History & Provenance

Created in the early 1800s, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the 20th century, though the exact path of ownership prior to that remains undocumented in publicly available records.