Artwork
La piece en batterie
La piece en batterie is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Horace Vernet. It dates from 1817 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
La pièce en batterie, a lithograph on wove paper created by Horace Vernet in 1817, contrasts with the artist's typical emphasis on dynamic battle scenes, instead presenting a serene military tableau.
Subject & Meaning
The scene juxtaposes military preparedness with natural tranquility, featuring a cannon surrounded by figures in a peaceful landscape of rolling hills, mountains, and a prominent foreground tree.
Technique & Style
Vernet employs nuanced light and shadow to add depth, guiding the viewer's attention to the central artillery piece, while the overall composition reflects a Romantic sensibility.
History & Provenance
Created in 1817 by Horace Vernet, a French artist known for Orientalist and military themes, the work's specific provenance details are not provided in available sources.
Context
While Vernet was renowned for capturing the intensity of warfare, *La pièce en batterie* situates itself within the broader early 19th-century Romantic movement, emphasizing harmony between human activity and nature.
Legacy
This lithograph, with its unique blend of military subject matter and serene Romantic landscape, contributes to the diversity of Vernet's oeuvre, though its direct influence on subsequent art movements is not prominently documented.
Artist & collection
Artist
Émile Jean-Horace Vernet (French pronunciation: ; 30 June 1789 – 17 January 1863), better known as Horace Vernet, was a French painter of battles, portraits, and Orientalist subjects.
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