Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier, French, 1815-1891
Title: Group of Cavalry in the Snow: Moreau and Dessoles before Hohenlinden
Date: 1875
Medium: Oil on wood panel
Dimensions:
37.5 x 47 cm
Signed: lower right: E Meissonier 1876
Credit Line: Presented, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, 1950
Object Number: NGI.4263
DescriptionMeissonier was a successful painter of historical genre subjects and was renowned for his battle paintings depicting scenes from the Napoleonic campaigns. In 1859 he accompanied Napoleon III, whom he greatly admired, on his campaign to Italy. On his return to Paris he executed a series of paintings dedicated to the glory of Napoleon I.
This is one of Meissonier’s most important military scenes. It depicts the French General Victor Moreau planning strategy with his Chief of Staff, Dessoles, before his famous victory over the Austrians and Bavarians at Hohenlinden in 1800. The men stand on a promontory surveying enemy terrain while two troopers wait patiently in the foreground. Although signed and dated 1876, the picture was recorded in Meissonier’s studio in 1875; studies for the composition date from 1872. Meissonier was meticulous in researching his military scenes; he would borrow costumes, interview veterans, make equestrian models and even endeavour to reconstruct the appearance of snowy battlefields with sugar and flour. This picture, like many of Meissonier’s smaller works was painted on panel, rather than canvas, allowing him to achieve a highly detailed finish.
March 2016
This is one of Meissonier’s most important military scenes. It depicts the French General Victor Moreau planning strategy with his Chief of Staff, Dessoles, before his famous victory over the Austrians and Bavarians at Hohenlinden in 1800. The men stand on a promontory surveying enemy terrain while two troopers wait patiently in the foreground. Although signed and dated 1876, the picture was recorded in Meissonier’s studio in 1875; studies for the composition date from 1872. Meissonier was meticulous in researching his military scenes; he would borrow costumes, interview veterans, make equestrian models and even endeavour to reconstruct the appearance of snowy battlefields with sugar and flour. This picture, like many of Meissonier’s smaller works was painted on panel, rather than canvas, allowing him to achieve a highly detailed finish.
March 2016
ProvenanceMadame Isaac Pereire; Comtesse d'Eu; Sir Alfred Chester Beatty.
Exhibition HistoryExposition Universelle, Paris, 1878
Galerie Georges Petit, 1883
Exposition Meissonier, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 24 May - 24 July 1884,no.95
Galerie Georges Petit, 1892
Exhibition of the Chester Beatty Collection, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 1950
La Peinture Francaise du XIXe Sièclé, Collection Chester Beatty de la Galerie Nationale d'Irlande, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 21 January - 27 March 1989; Musée des Beaux-Arts, Quimper, 8 April - 5 June 1989; Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers, 20 June - 4 September 1989
Ernest Meissonier, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Lyon, 25 March - 27 Jun 1993, no.46
Chester Beatty: The Paintings, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 7 September 2012 - 31 August 2013; The Hunt Museum, Limerick, 1 February - 30 March 2014
Lines of Vision. Irish Writers at the National Gallery of Ireland, 8 October 2014 —12 April 2015
Galerie Georges Petit, 1883
Exposition Meissonier, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, 24 May - 24 July 1884,no.95
Galerie Georges Petit, 1892
Exhibition of the Chester Beatty Collection, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, 1950
La Peinture Francaise du XIXe Sièclé, Collection Chester Beatty de la Galerie Nationale d'Irlande, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Calais, 21 January - 27 March 1989; Musée des Beaux-Arts, Quimper, 8 April - 5 June 1989; Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers, 20 June - 4 September 1989
Ernest Meissonier, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Lyon, 25 March - 27 Jun 1993, no.46
Chester Beatty: The Paintings, Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, 7 September 2012 - 31 August 2013; The Hunt Museum, Limerick, 1 February - 30 March 2014
Lines of Vision. Irish Writers at the National Gallery of Ireland, 8 October 2014 —12 April 2015
Label TextMeissonier was a successful painter of historical subjects. This scene depicts General Victor Moreau planning strategy with his Chief d’Etat before their victory over the Austrians and Bavarians at Hohenlinden in 1800. The two men stand on a promontory surveying enemy terrain while troopers wait with their horses in the foreground. Meissonier was meticulous in researching his military scenes. He would borrow costumes, interview veterans, make equestrian models and even reconstruct snowy battlefields using sugar and flour. By painting on panel rather than on canvas, he was able to achieve a highly detailed finish.