A mid-day Halt - Dec. 1884

The composition shows one soldier seated on a stone, propping his rifle, while two comrades stand nearby—one gesturing with an outstretched arm, the other grasping an object, perhaps a map or equipment. The scene conveys the routine respite and camaraderie of troops operating in the harsh Egyptian desert.

Rendered in watercolour, the artist employs swift, fluid strokes to suggest movement, dust, and the shimmering air of a midday desert. The background is deliberately softened, creating a hazy effect that emphasizes the immediacy of the soldiers’ activity over detailed topography.

The work belongs to a series of twenty‑seven watercolours documenting the British Campaign in Egypt (1882) and the subsequent Nile Expedition. It aligns with contemporary visual reports published in *The Illustrated London News* and *The Graphic*, and is held within the Searight Archive.

Similar sketches by Count Gleichen and O. Norie illustrate parallel moments from the same campaigns, providing comparative visual evidence of British military life in Egypt during the early 1880s. These images collectively reflect the period’s interest in reportage art.